Regional Narcotics Suppression Program
The Regional Narcotics Suppression Program (RNSP) was established in December 1986 through the collaborative efforts of various Orange County Police Chiefs and the Sheriff to execute a targeted approach to investigate and prosecute individuals engaged in high-level drug trafficking and money laundering. Today, the RNSP remains a multi-agency task force, which currently has the participation of two federal, one state, one county and six local agencies, for a total of thirty-one sworn and four non-sworn personnel. RNSP personnel are allocated throughout an intelligence unit, three surveillance teams, air support, technical support, and administrative staff. The program operates under a task force agreement signed by the heads of the participating agencies, which encompasses the RNSP Executive Board. The RNSP Executive Board, currently chaired by Sheriff-Coroner Don Barnes, includes the Chiefs of Police from Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Orange, Tustin, Buena Park, Huntington Beach and Cal State University Fullerton, as well as representatives from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Orange County is designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) by the federal government. This designation allows the federal government to assist us in activities ranging from narcotics enforcement, investigations, interdiction, and prosecution.
Orange County Clandestine Laboratory Emergency Action Network
The Orange County Clandestine Laboratory Emergency Action Network (OCCLEAN) is the Orange County chapter of the Regional Methamphetamine Task Force initiative. The OCCLEAN deploys a responsive and investigative effort to clandestine laboratories and incidents involving toxic materials throughout the County of Orange. Investigative personnel assigned to the Regional Narcotics Suppression Program are certified to respond to clandestine laboratories and various other toxic scenes to collect evidence, gather intelligence, and provide follow-up investigation. In 2017, in an effort to expand the ability to respond to the rising chemical and explosive threats surrounding clandestine laboratories, this response team transitioned to a coordinated effort, which now includes the Orange County Sheriff Department’s Hazardous Devices Squad, Orange County Health Care Agency, and hazmat teams from local fire departments. The OCCLEAN utilizes state of the art training and equipment to safely respond to and process a wide variety of dangerous scenes.
Vehicle Interdiction Pipeline Enforcement Resource
The Vehicle Interdiction Pipeline Enforcement Resource (VIPER) is a Domestic Highway Enforcement (DHE) task force initiative. The Orange County Sheriff Department’s Highway Interdiction Team (HIT) is tasked with conducting unbiased policing in support of the Orange County response to this multi-jurisdictional strategy. Expert training, specialized equipment and a collaborative effort is executed to intercept vehicles used by Drug Trafficking Organizations to transport narcotics into and through Orange County.
