SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — The quarter-mile stretch of 6th Street in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood has long struggled with open air drug usage, but Supervisor Matt Dorsey says it’s only getting worse.

It’s why he’s calling for mass-arrests of drug users to put them into “compulsory detox and treatment” and off the streets.

Dorsey first told ABC7 News about his request to the city agencies that deal with these issues to come up with an enforcement plan in order to solve drug-related “lawlessness” on the streets.

“Historically, most of the work that we’re doing is focused on drug dealers, and I think that’s something that needs to continue, but we also need to be making criminal justice interventions in public drug use,” he said. “We do need to be making arrests of drug users with an eye toward making sure that any criminal justice intervention we make is a medical and life saving intervention.”

MORE: California’s Prop 36 now in effect, increasing penalties for certain theft and drug crimes

The San Francisco Police Department estimates that at least 200 people “loiter and use drugs” in the area on a nightly basis. Dorsey wants to see no fewer than 100 arrests per night going forward.

It’s not the first time the city has tried to use the criminal justice system to get those with substance use disorders off the streets and into treatment. In 2023, Mayor London Breed directed SFPD to make more drug-related arrests.

Dr. Tyler TerMeer, CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, is critical of this approach, saying it does not address the root causes of substance abuse.

“Decades of research have shown that criminalizing people for their health conditions or circumstances perpetuates harm rather than fostering recovery. Forced treatment under the threat of incarceration undermines trust in health services and disproportionately impacts marginalized communities,” TerMeer said in a statement to ABC7 News. “What San Francisco truly needs is increased investment in overdose prevention services, voluntary treatment programs, and supportive housing. These approaches save lives, reduce public health crises, and strengthen our city.”

MORE: San Francisco launches new ‘Living Proof’ health campaign to encourage drug addiction treatment

Dorsey believes the city’s longtime harm reduction approach is no longer working. And as a former addict himself, it’s personal.

“What may have worked in the heroin era is not working in the fentanyl era. We are facing drugs that are deadlier than ever before in human history. And we’re seeing levels of addiction driven lawlessness that we have never seen even in a city that has taken a permissive approach to drug use in years past,” he said.

When asked what this will cost, Dorsey did not provide specifics but said San Francisco cannot afford to ignore this problem.

Dorsey’s letter of inquiry asks five different agencies to come up with a plan for large-scale arrests and involuntary holds within the next 30 days. It is directed to the following agencies: San Francisco Police Department, San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, San Francisco Fire Department EMS Division, San Francisco Department of Public Health, and San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.

They did it again.

For the second time this season, the Colorado Avalanche completed a remarkable comeback against the Buffalo Sabres. Devon Toews scored 48 seconds into overtime Thursday night to give the Avs a wild 6-5 victory at Ball Arena that was not without controversy or a cost.

“It felt great because our guys dug in and they got the win,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “We needed that win and we wanted that win. I think that play … everyone on the team is pissed off so they dig in extra hard. I’m glad to see them get rewarded. I thought it was an unbelievable effort down the stretch.”

The play Bednar referenced was when this game took a wild turn early in the third period. Just 22 seconds after Ross Colton had brought Colorado to within a goal, Zach Benson scored to put Buffalo ahead 4-2.

Benson had been checked into the crease behind Wedgewood. After Wedgewood fell backwards onto him and was clearly injured, Benson got up and scored a wraparound goal while the Avs netminder was still writhing in pain.

Bednar went off on the officiating after the game, a move that will likely come with a fine from the NHL.

“Listen, this isn’t against the two refs that called the game tonight,” Bednar said. “It’s the inconsistency in that call. It seems pretty common sense to me, right? He’s hurt. The puck goes to the corner. He’s not getting up. Just blow it dead. … When you’re doing it for every other player on the ice, but you’re not going to do it for the goalie, that makes no sense to me.”

The Avalanche challenged for goaltender interference, but it was upheld. Wedgewood left the game and could not put any weight on his right leg.

Colorado’s new backup goaltender has been excellent since arriving in a trade from Nashville on Nov. 30. He was 4-2 with a .932 save percentage in six appearances since the deal.

“We need everyone,” Toews said. “We’re a family in here. We pick each other up. When one guy goes down, when (Wedgewood) went down, we were able to pick him up. It takes everyone.”

Colorado rallied after allowing the first three goals, then trailing 4-2 and 5-3. Jason Zucker scored his third goal of the night to give the Sabres a two-goal lead with 3:51 remaining, but the Avs stormed back yet again.

They also rallied for a 5-4 win at Buffalo last month after yielding the first four goals of the contest. This one might have been even more improbable.

Cale Makar had his second of the evening with 2:28 left and Jonathan Drouin sent it to overtime with eight seconds remaining on Nathan MacKinnon’s third assist of the contest. It was the latest game-tying goal for the Avs since a MacKinnon tally with seven seconds left at Tampa Bay on Jan. 17, 2015.

Buffalo took a pair of penalties shortly after the Benson tally, and Mikko Rantanen made it a one-goal game again on a one-timer from MacKinnon at 4:17 of the third. It was Rantanen’s team-leading 22nd goal, and one of three MacKinnon points to push his league-leading total to 64.

Zucker helped the Sabres build a 3-0 lead with a pair of power-play goals. Colorado’s penalty kill had been red hot coming into this game. The Avs had erased 23 of the past 25 opposing power plays during the past 11 games.

In between the first two Zucker goals, an old friend burned the Avs. Bo Bryam, playing in his first game at Ball Arena with the Sabres since he was traded to Buffalo before the deadline last season, got behind the Avalanche defensemen on a rush and tucked a pretty backhanded goal past Wedgewood.

The Avs traded Byram to Buffalo for Casey Mittelstadt in a swap of recent top-10 draft picks on March 6, shortly after sending Ryan Johansen and a first-round pick to Philadelphia for Sean Walker. It was Byram’s fifth goal of the season. He’s also averaging more than 23 minutes per contest while playing next to Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin on the top pairing.

Colorado had a MacKinnon goal waived off after an offsides review earlier in the second period. The Avalanche did get one back with 5:02 remaining in the second.

Makar took a drop pass from Drouin near the right point, then juked past Zucker before snapping a shot under the crossbar. His two-goal night gives him 13, which leads all NHL defensemen.

The second one began the late-game fireworks and kicked off another incredible comeback.

“I don’t even know what to say, to be honest,” Avs goalie Mackenzie Blackwood. “(I had) the best seat in the house. Obviously, it sucks for (Wedgewood). I feel bad for him. You never want to see anyone get hurt. That was tough. But the way we rallied back was fun to watch.”

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Originally Published: January 2, 2025 at 10:12 PM MST

SEATTLE (AP) — J.T. Miller scored in the shootout and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Seattle Kraken 4-3 on Thursday night.

Seattle Kraken 4, Vancouver Canucks 3 (OT): Box Score

Connor Garland, Tyler Myers and Max Sasson scored in regulation for the Canucks. Thatcher Demko started and stopped 11 of 12 shots before leaving with back spasms in the second period. Kevin Lankinen came on and finished with 13 saves.

Vince Dunn and Matty Beniers each had a goal and an assist, and Chandler Stephenson also scored for Seattle. Philipp Grubauer finished with 19 saves.

In the tiebreaker, Miller snuck one past Grubauer in the first round. Lankinen denied Oliver Bjorkstrand, Kaapo Kakko and Benioers to secure the win.

The victory evened the Canucks’ crushing 5-4 overtime loss to the Kraken on Saturday. In that one, Seattle tied it with three goals in the final five minutes of regulation, before winning on Dunn’s goal in OT.

Dunn tied this game with 53 seconds left in regulation.

Takeaways

Canucks: Vancouver seems to have recovered from a midseason offensive slump, as the Canucks have now scored three goals or more in four of their past five games.

Kraken: Beniers has goals in each of Seattle’s past three games after snapping a 19-game goal-less streak.

Key moment

Miller shootout goal put the Kraken on their heels, and powered the Canucks to a much-needed victory over their arch-rival.

Key stat

Vancouver had lost it’s last five games beyond regulation. The Canucks’ last win in OT or a shootout came against Detroit on Dec. 1.

Up Next

Canucks host Nashville on Friday, and the Kraken will host Edmonton on Saturday.

Shane Wright enjoying breakout with Seattle Kraken after ‘resetting’