The multnomah county district attorneys office recognizes the critical need to strengthen intellectual property (IP) enforcement for the well-being of its community

This Project Grant award, totaling $374,986, was provided by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Economic, High-Tech, and Cyber Crime Prevention program (CFDA 16.752). The grant aims to strengthen intellectual property (IP) enforcement in Oregon and beyond by the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office.

Key objectives include:

1. Aggressively investigating and enforcing IP theft, focusing on counterfeit drugs and auto parts that pose health and safety risks.
2. Conducting community and buyer awareness campaigns to educate the public on the dangers of purchasing counterfeit or stolen goods.
3. Optimizing operations and resource utilization by adding contracted program managers to the IP Task Force, which will be expanded to include the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, Gresham Police Department, and Port of Portland Police.

The project seeks to create a safer community by increasing IP law enforcement and combating the overlap between IP infringement and organized retail crime. The grant period is from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2026.

This comprehensive project aims to address this need by focusing on three key aspects in the state of oregon and beyond. The oregon IP task force will aggressively investigate and enforce IP theft, focusing on health and safety concerns such as counterfeit M30, xanax and counterfeit auto parts. Simultaneously, by leveraging insight from michigan state university, they will engage in community and buyer awareness campaigns to educate the public about the risks of purchasing counterfeit or stolen goods, with the ultimate goal of developing a tailored, evidence based educational and awareness campaign that can be disseminated nationwide. Additionally, by adding contracted program managers, the task force aims to optimize operations and resource utilization. This project seeks to expand the oregon IP task force to include the multnomah county sheriffs office, gresham police department, and the port of portland police, in addition to a working relationship with michigan state police. Drawing from past program success and strengthened partnerships with law enforcement agencies and brand owners, this project aims to create a safer community. Increased enforcement of IP laws is anticipated by considering their correlation with violent offenses and organized retail crime (ORC). The overlap between IP infringement and ORC underscores the need for collaborative efforts among retailers, federal partners, and law enforcement agencies. Together, these partners will combat these multifaceted criminal activities endangering both consumer safety and the U.S. Economy. Additionally, project partners will inform consumers about the risks of purchasing counterfeit goods, especially in the online markets. Leveraging its growing network of partners, the IP task force will streamline investigation and enforcement procedures, aiming for swift action against IP theft to prevent harmful counterfeit goods from reaching the public.