A new state-local pilot programme has been announced in Oregon intended to give law-enforcement agencies greater capacity to counter complex criminal networks operating across jurisdictions.

The initiative, known as SPIRE (Special Projects: Investigate, Respond, Enforce), was introduced by Attorney General Dan Rayfield in partnership with Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton and the Oregon Department of Justice.

SPIRE will focus initially on Washington County and is designed to help state and local agencies partner on investigations of human-trafficking rings tied to massage parlours, drug-trafficking operations and large-scale retail theft, according to the Attorney General’s office.

Rayfield said the idea emerged from a statewide public-safety roundtable where local law-enforcement officials called for sustained, specialist investigative resources that exceed the capabilities of smaller jurisdictions.

“Organised crime enterprises prey on some of the most vulnerable Oregonians,” Rayfield said, highlighting the motivation behind the new effort.

“From illicit massage parlours and drug trafficking to crime rings skimming benefits and stealing catalytic converters.

We heard the message and this is the Department of Justice stepping up.”

Rayfield noted that, while full statewide funding is not yet available, the pilot will serve as a proof of concept for the legislature to allocate resources in future years.

He identified Barton as a key leader in getting the programme off the ground in Washington County.

Working alongside the district attorney’s office in that region, the Department of Justice will facilitate ongoing investigations, provide specialised legal and investigative personnel, and coordinate enforcement across city and county lines.

The collaboration also involves the Oregon legislature’s Judiciary Committee, which has included the SPIRE initiative in upcoming oversight hearings on organised-crime strategies.

The choice of Washington County reflects its status as a major suburban jurisdiction experiencing a rise in cross-border criminal activity.

As the pilot begins, local agencies will engage in joint task-force operations, share intelligence in real time, and leverage the state’s legal resources to pursue charges suited to complex enterprise cases rather than just isolated misdemeanours.

If the pilot proves effective, Rayfield’s office expects to seek an expansion across other counties in the state later next year.