Greetings,
I am Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. (WDO) Field Division and I’d like to welcome you to Operation Engage!
As we all know, there are far too many non-fatal and fatal drug overdoses affecting our communities, sadly these numbers are increasing. In response, DEA has moved toward community-level collaborative efforts to help reduce these numbers through education and awareness, using our wide range of resources.
Through Operation Engage, our division will focus on the DMV: Washington D.C. Wards 5-7-8 and Prince Georges County, Maryland targeting opioids. Other components of Operation Engage include:
- Stakeholder/Community Gatherings: To share the latest information about drug trends, drug threats, and other related pertinent information.
- DEA’s Citizens Academy: DEA recognizes the importance of forging strong alliances with local communities and maintaining collaborative relationships with community leaders. DEA’s Citizens Academy offers participants the opportunity to understand the world of federal drug law enforcement and the important role DEA and the community together, play in combating drug trafficking, drug abuse and related violence.
- Youth Engagement: Through programs like the DEA Educational Foundation Youth Art Program and in collaboration with CADCA and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, children of all ages will be able to actively participate in age-appropriate activities, designed for them to learn and gain the most knowledge about the dangers of drugs in a fun way.
- Community Outreach Programs: DEA, along with stakeholder involvement, will concentrate efforts in the communities most affected by opioid misuse. In those targeted communities, the Washington, D.C. Field Division will participate in facilitating prevention strategies to include, but not limited to, drug prevention training and technical assistance for communities, coalition outreach, and prescription drug take back events to name a few.
These are only a few of the many resources and opportunities we have available to share with our communities.
I invite you, and your families, to explore our Operation Engage webpage to learn about the many resources we have available. Learning as a family, early on, is the first step in avoiding drug experimentation, drug misuse, drug addiction, and all related behaviors that are plaguing our communities.
Always at your service,
SAC Forget
The DEA Washington Division be hosting a number of community events for and with our partners across the DMV this year under Operation Engage.
Just some of the community outreach events we have scheduled are posted below. Make sure you check back here and on our events page to see what we have scheduled in your area, and how to register.
Interested in partnering with us for an event in your community? Email our Community Outreach coordinator larisa.p.mclennon@usdoj.gov for inquiries or more information.
Our #OpEngageDMV 2021 events include:
Youth events:
- “Baby Scientist” STEM program events
- “Hooked in Fishing” field trip program events
- Summer outdoor activities
- Virtual Teen Summit with celebrity guests
School events:
- 2-day virtual youth training for local middle & high schoolers
- Drug prevention presentations and assemblies for local schools
- Red Ribbon presentations and activities for schools
- Holiday coat drive program
Virtual training opportunities:
- Virtual trainings for parents, grandparents, and caregivers
- Workplace Prevention Resources training
- Signs of Youth Drug Abuse training
- CADCA Parent & Caretaker training
- Diversion Lunch & Learn events for health care professionals & registrants
- Current drug trends & digital resources trainings for law enforcement agencies and officers
- Local drug trends & public safety resources for community groups
Partnership opportunities:
- Local Stakeholder Meetings
- Business Roundtable Discussions
- Speaking engagements for Prevention and Coalition partners
- Participation in local Opioid & Overdose Working Groups
- Presentations and partnerships with the U.S. Military branches
- Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts events
- Drug Awareness campaigns with local sports teams
In-person / Hybrid opportunities:
- Drug Take Back Days
- Red Ribbon week events
- DEA Citizen Academy
- Visits to local schools, community and outreach events
Looking for prevention resources specifically for young people? Go to the teen-focused site www.justthinktwice.com/. Here, they'll be able to get facts about drug use and learn ways to live a drug-free life.
Check out our local partners below:
Go to FindTreatment.gov to search for general drug treatment facilities in your area. On this site, you can find facilities that offer various payment options (including free and no-cost care), youth treatment facilities, special programs for Veterans, plus more.
Otherwise, enter your zipcode below to find substance abuse treatment facilities in your area.
Sign up for email updates about DMV's Operation Engage Initiative.
Stay up to date with the Operation Engage initiative in D.C., Maryland and Virginia by following the DEA Washington D.C. Twitter account @DEAWashingtonDC, and the hashtags:#OpEngageDMV and #EngagewithDMV