The Salem Police specialty unit has been involved with the Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF) since the first of the year. The Safe Streets Task Force is part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Violent Crimes Initiative launched in 1992. The FBI's Safe Streets Violent Crime Initiative has successfully aligned FBI Agents, local law enforcement investigators, and federal and state prosecutors with SSTFs to reduce violent gangs, crimes of violence, and the apprehension of violent fugitives.

The Salem SSTF partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon to bring increased focus and resources to address narcotics trafficking and violent crimes in Salem. Since the first of the year, Salem’s SSTF investigations have led to the seizure of nearly 40,000 fentanyl-laced tablets, over 100 pounds of methamphetamine, and 135 firearms.

The SSTF investigation led to the arrest of Phillip Thomas, a Salem resident, and indicted on November 2, by a federal Grand Jury in US District Court on several drug and weapons related charges.

Thomas was arrested on June 29 by the Salem Police Strategic Investigations Unit as part of an extensive investigation of polydrug pills containing fentanyl and other illicit drugs being sold in Salem. The 30-year-old was charged by a federal Grand Jury on five counts:

• Possession of 3,000 polydrug tablets, more commonly known as M30 pills containing fentanyl with intent to distribute.
• Possession of eight ounces of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
• Possession of three ounces of heroin with intent to distribute.
• Possession of a Glock 23 firearm with an extended magazine with ammunition loaded, a .25 caliber automatic handgun in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm.
• He held approximately $164,000 in cash.

Thomas was in the Marion County Jail on outstanding warrants in other related cases when transferred into federal custody November 7. He was detained as both a flight risk and danger to the community pending a jury trial scheduled for December 20.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The first SSTF was established in April 2021 by an FBI-led task force working with Portland police to combat the increase of shootings. It was a process of negotiations on set boundaries on Portland officers participating as deputized federal officers, but forbidden to do immigration or crowd control enforcement.

The City of Gresham has also partnered with the Safe Street Task Force as local restorative justice and gun violence initiatives.

Along with the increase in crimes is the increase in deaths of young people from counterfeit prescription pills made with fentanyl. Reducing Oregon’s drug crimes, which is at the root of many other crimes, will take voters to realize it was a mistake to decriminalize street drugs.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-11-08 00:41:54

Last Update: 2022-11-08 17:01:59