Salem city leaders on Monday laid out a new framework for responding to drug use through prevention, treatment and enforcement, but the presentation also made clear how limited the city’s direct tools remain. Staff said Salem does not have dedicated drug-enforcement officers, does not control much of the treatment system, and still needs more partner input before bringing back recommendations.
Presented by City Manager Krishna Namburi, the framework is part of Salem’s broader Safe, Clean and Healthy Salem initiative. Namburi described it as an effort to map the current system, clarify the city’s role, identify where outside partners fit, and pinpoint the gaps that continue to limit results.
“The city’s role is to connect, align and advocate for a coordinated and effective system for Salem,” Namburi told the council. That distinction mattered throughout the presentation. Rather than offering a new city-run solution, Namburi repeatedly framed the work as an attempt to understand what Salem can realistically do on its own and where it must rely on county, regional and nonprofit partners…