Welcome to the Washington State Narcotics Investigators Association (WSNIA). We are a non-profit professional organization primarily dedicated to providing high quality training for Washington’s narcotics investigators. Our goal is to assure our state’s narcotics officers have the tools necessary to be highly effective investigators. Our members work hard to make their communities safer and so WSNIA was established to support them in that endeavor.

Narcotics trafficking has a directly correlation to violent crime, human trafficking, addiction, and the general degradation of our states communities. We believe enforcement, working in conjunction with education and treatment is the most effective strategy to address these issues. Heroin and the diversion of prescription medications, along with Methamphetamine pose the greatest threat to our state. We believe dismantling the criminal organizations operating in our states, making millions at the expense of our communities has to be address. We also support drug courts and alternatives to incarcerating for those struggling with addiction.

WSNIA is committed to educating our political representatives on these issues to assure they have an accurate perspective. Our state’s multi-jurisdictional drug task forces do a great job throughout the state. Unfortunately the federal Byrne grant dollars have historically supported these task forces have been withheld due to politics. The front line officers and agencies cannot be successful without the basic support to complete the mission. WSNIA is committed to garnering state support for these task forces so they are no longer reliant on the federal government.

We hear the “War on Drugs” is lost and we need to try something else, like legalization. Narcotics enforcement is no different than any other type of law enforcement; ongoing enforcement will always be required. The notion that we have lost because law enforcement has not removed illicit substances from our streets is illogical. Drug law enforcement does reduce the supply of controlled substances, which has a deterrent effect. When anything is illegal it has a preventative effect. Low level control substance arrests are a primary reason individuals end up in treatment.

Drugs have a direct nexus to the growing human trafficking occurring in our state. Narcotics are used to enslave individuals in the sex trades for instance. WSNIA is committed to assuring our narcotics officers are trained to look for and address cases of human trafficking whenever identified.

The suggestion that legalization of narcotics is the answer is misguided and short sighted. Allowing poison to freely flow into our communities and trying to treat our way out of the hole will never work. Much of the mental health crisis and homeless issues facing our communities are directly attributable to the abuse of illicit substances. It is critical that we continue to address narcotics trafficking on the front end, to avoid placing additional burdens on our social safety net. The use of illicit substances, such as Methamphetamine, causes permanent physical damage that will have lifelong consequences for the addict and for society.

I want to thank you for visiting our website and we hope you find the information and resources contained within valuable.

Thank you,
President of WSNIA