OREGON – Multiple counties in Oregon have diverted taxpayer-funded grants intended for addiction recovery services to cover expenses for prosecutors and law enforcement, according to an investigation by The Guardian based on public records.
The records, obtained by The Guardian through public records requests, show that portions of the $20 million in state grant funding—earmarked to support substance use treatment under Oregon’s new “deflection” law—have instead gone toward salaries, equipment, and drug-detection tools for police and prosecutors.
Oregon has long struggled with its drug policy, marked by a series of shifts in recent years. In 2020, voters passed a ballot measure that decriminalized possession of small amounts of drugs. That law was later blamed by some for rising fentanyl overdoses, public drug use, and homelessness—though research indicates multiple contributing factors. In 2024, lawmakers reversed course with the passage of a new law that “recriminalized” drug possession while establishing a deflection program aimed at connecting people to treatment services instead of jail.
Despite the program’s intent to emphasize a “treatment-first” approach, addiction services in the state are facing significant budget cuts, and many providers have resorted to waitlists. Meanwhile, counties continue to allocate a substantial share of the deflection funds to law enforcement.
County officials argue that investing in police resources is necessary to help people access services. However, The Guardian highlights two counties that used the funds to purchase drug detection equipment that has proven ineffective and does not fulfill the program’s goal of linking people with treatment.
The structure of the deflection law gives each of Oregon’s 36 counties broad discretion in how to implement—or even whether to implement—the program. This decentralized approach, The Guardian reports, may explain the inconsistent and often problematic spending patterns.
In Washington County, for example, officials received $1.5 million in deflection funds. Nearly $700,000 of that was spent on law enforcement salaries. These allocations were approved by a state grant review committee, raising further questions about oversight.
The Guardian also reports serious concerns about access to the deflection program. In Washington County, officials claim to support deflection, but results show limited impact. From September 2024 to May 2025, more than 1,000 drug possession cases were recorded in the county, but only 75 individuals entered the deflection program. The program excludes people with pending charges or those on probation—a restriction that disqualifies many of the individuals most in need of support.
In addition, The Guardian notes that representatives from both the deflection program and the District Attorney’s office failed to respond to inquiries from Oregon’s only recovery drop-in center.
While many county officials continue to defend spending the funds on prosecutors, law enforcement salaries, and police equipment—arguing these investments are necessary to facilitate treatment access—The Guardian points out that the grants were explicitly intended to fund connections to services, not expand criminal enforcement.
In one example from Clackamas County, a prosecutor responsible for deflection cases told The Guardian he still actively prosecutes people charged with drug possession, raising further doubts about the commitment to a treatment-first model.
Since the deflection program began, Oregon has reported more than 7,000 arrests for drug possession. Yet only 723 cases have resulted in offers to enter deflection programs—less than 11 percent.
