United States Drug Enforcement Administration

DETROIT – The United States Drug Enforcement Administration is launching its second year of Operation Engage, a comprehensive community-level approach to address the drug epidemic through prevention strategies, facilitating conversations and collaboration with local partners. The Detroit Field Division’s proposal was one of 11 approved for continued funding for 2022 and will apply our Operation Engage resources on our top local drug threats of stimulants and opioid focusing on evidence-informed substance use prevention and community outreach efforts in Kalamazoo. We will also continue to address drug trafficking, violence, and crime reduction in this community.

“The Detroit Field Division is bringing Operation Engage to a second community, Kalamazoo,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kent Kleinschmidt. “As we all know, there are far too many non-fatal and fatal drug overdoses affecting our communities, and sadly, these numbers are increasing. In response, Operation Engage is a community-level collaborative approach to help reduce these numbers through education and awareness, using our wide range of resources.”

“Although we are adding Kalamazoo to our Operation Engage efforts, we are still working with our community partners in Chippewa County and with the Bay Mills Indian Community to continue Operation Engage there, brining awareness and drug education programming to the eastern Upper Peninsula.”

The goals of Operation Engage are to:

• Identify local drug threat enforcement priorities and substance use trends;
  • Support and contribute to local substance use prevention efforts; and
  • Bridge local public safety and public health efforts

The objectives are to:

• Connect DEA field offices with the communities they serve;
• Leverage DEA intelligence to build awareness of local drug threats;
• Raise awareness of local drug threats and change attitudes to reduce substance misuse; and
• Support local drug-free community coalitions, public health and prevention leaders to aid and ensure lasting success

Operation Engage Kalamazoo will officially launch March 10, 2022 with a virtual stakeholders meeting, which will bring together faith leaders, health, law enforcement, public safety, education, prevention, and other interested professionals, with the goal of improving community resources surrounding substance abuse.

For more information and local resources, visit https://www.dea.gov/engage/operation-engage-michigan as well as the national page: www.OperationEngage.com.

For additional details on the stakeholders meeting or for interested media organizations, contact DEA Detroit Public Information Officer Brian McNeal at (571) 362-1498 or e-mail brian.k.mcneal@dea.gov.