Wyden said he wants to take immediate action to help keep drugs like fentanyl off the streets.
He said Southern Oregon deserves a fair share of resources to help fight drug related crimes.
Local law enforcement officials said there has been little to no help from the DEA over the last few years.
Wyden said he plans to draw from legislation he helped pass early on in his career that helped prosecute career criminals.
He said its unacceptable for local law enforcement to have a lack of involvement from the federal government in large cases.
Wyden said, “Oregonians are saying in every corner of the state, that if it looks like nobody is going to be prosecuted, it just makes a mockery out of the idea of deterrence. Bad guys know they can beat the odds.”
Medford Police Chief Justin Ivens and Jackson County Sheriff Nate Sickler also attended the meeting.
Both said they are grateful to have Wyden’s support to help address the drug crisis in Southern Oregon.
Wyden said he is committed to making sure the federal government is a better partner when it comes to fighting drug trafficking.
Wyden was asked if not being a border state is why the DEA is not present in Southern Oregon.
He said that would be a good question for the DEA.
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