© Provided by The Times-Standard (Eureka) The city of Eureka says this image from a video shows a narcotics purchase between an undercover agent of the Humboldt County Drug Task Force and an unidentified male, on 3rd Street in front of HACHR’s office. (Screengrab from video)

A letter submitted to state public health signed by Eureka Police Chief Steve Watson, city attorney Robert Black, and Mayor Susan Seaman details the city’s frustration with HACHR.

The letter reminds the state that the city did not support HACHR’s syringe exchange program when the state approved it in 2018, but claims the city continued to try and work with the program.

The letter calls into question the program’s dispersal of methamphetamine smoking equipment and instructions for “how to get high,” as well as condemns HACHR for creating “safe havens for drug dealing and drug using.”

The letter further asks if the state is “implicitly or explicitly” condoning the aforementioned, saying if so it would represent a “fundamental change from what was presented to the city when HACHR first applied for (syringe exchange) certification.”

The letter characterizes such as change as a, “severe breach of trust and a shocking lack of judgement,” and concludes by saying, “the city cannot — and (state health) should not — support HACHR’s request for re-certification.”

A press release sent out by HACHR hours after the city released its letter and memorandum says, “We are extremely disappointed at the recent statement released by the City of Eureka opposing (HACHR’s) state reauthorization. We look forward to speaking with City officials about their concerns. HACHR has been transparent with local officials and we welcome community members to collaborate in seeking solutions to the complex issues of substance use and the health and well-being of all people.”

In the release HACHR acknowledges that it supplies people who use drugs with methamphetamine use kits, but says the kits are in line with harm reduction tools like its syringe exchange program.

“We do not enable drug use; we enable health and well-being through nationally recognized harm reduction interventions. Safe smoking kits are an evidence based harm reduction tool … (HACHR provides) syringe exchange, overdose prevention, HIV and Hepatitis C testing, Medication Assisted Treatment for opioid use, case management, wound care, PPE and other COVID related prevention, food, clothes, community education, and connecting participants to important resources such as primary care, housing, veterans services, and mental health services,” according to a release from the program.

The city’s memorandum details months of surveillance and undercover operations finding use of drugs within HACHR’s premises, sale of drugs on the premises and distribution of syringes exceeding the number of used syringes returned by clients of the program.

One instance detailed in the memorandum says while an undercover agent and another male were “discussing the purchase of heroin, an employee from HACHR came outside. The female employee asked the (undercover agent) and the male if they were “discussing food,” almost as if forcing the (agent) and the male to acknowledge her statement. This behavior seemed odd, as it was clear to anyone watching the interaction … that the sales of illegal narcotics was taking place.”

The interaction was also recorded and video of it was provided by the city. In the video the female employee tells the agent and the male that “this is not the place for that,” before they leave.

The memorandum details also details the observance of a female employee within the HACHR facility apparently providing dug counseling services at a window in the office.

The memorandum says the agent, “observed the female smoking suspected methamphetamine from a glass pipe within the office.”

The undercover investigations, done in partnership between the Eureka Police Department and the Humboldt County Drug Task Force, began in February.

The investigations appear to have begun after Sgt. Greg Hill, supervisor of the EPD’s Problem Orientated Policing team, attended an open house at HACHR on Feb. 5 for elected officials, service providers, first-responders and law enforcement.

The memorandum says Hill was greeted by a woman who identified herself as Jessica Smith, director of HACHR, who proceeded to give Hill a tour of HACHR facilities and an explanation of the program’s various services. The description of the interaction says at, “about 4:30 p.m., Hill and Smith were standing near the bathroom. Hill noticed a handwritten sign on the bathroom door that stated, “ask staff to use, 12-minute time limit.” He then heard the bathroom door unlock and open and witnessed a male subject exit … . He noticed the male appeared very sluggish in his body movements and his pupils appeared very constricted. Hill noticed a long piece of toilet paper hanging out the back pocket of his pants. There appeared to be small spots of blood on the paper … . Hill formed the opinion the subject was under the influence of a central nervous system depressant, most likely an opiate.”

The memorandum continues,” Smith saw the male exiting the bathroom and immediately stated, ‘What are you doing in there? We closed 30 minutes ago.’ She quickly escorted the male out of the … building. Upon her return, Hill described Smith as appearing flustered, nervous and her hands were visibly shaking.”

The memorandum details months of surveillance capturing drug use and sales around HACHR in adjacent streets and alleys to HACHR property.

The memorandum also cites several times where an agent would return five syringes to HACHR and be given 20 new ones in return, far exceeding the program’s promise of 1-to-1 needle exchanges.

The press release from the city says, “Years of effort by the City and the community to work with HACHR have been ineffective. It is the City’s stance that HACHR has not, in good faith, responded to the community’s legitimate concerns about HACHR’s operations, and that HACHR’s (syringe exchange program) is not operating in compliance with state and local law.”

HACHR’s Administrative Executive Director Lasara Allen, and board member Jessica Smith each did not return request for comment before publishing deadline.

CHICO – The same group is operating in Chico and does a needle giveaway once a week at a local park.  They do their most business on the 1st of the month when the welfare checks come out.  The the druggies flock to HRC to a box full of needles and other drug paraphernalia.    However, bad these HRC people might be, however much the heroin follows the junkies they serve and however much the needles are found scattered around town, there are always 4 members of the Chico council who really don’t care!   This needle giveaway program is a socialist democrat, liberal, endorsed activity.  And since they are hardcore party liberals, dedicated to walking lockstep with their fellow liberals, citizens of Chico can be damned, they don’t care.  They will put bums and junkies ahead of their fellow citizens every time and that’s what got the HRC tossed out of Eureka, but not Chico!