PORTLAND, Ore. — Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez announced Tuesday that his office may pursue charges against people caught in possession of hard drugs who fail to complete the county's deflection process .

His anticipated change of tactics, first reported by Willamette Week , follows the release of a report last week on the county deflection program's first year in operation, which left commissioners unimpressed and contemplating changes.

In its first year, commissioners were told last week, law enforcement agencies referred 520 people to Multnomah County's deflection program — or fewer than two people per day.

Only 113 people actually completed deflection, which is not to say that they necessarily completed substance use treatment. Multnomah County's program judg

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