SAN DIEGO — San Diego Police Detective Sergeant William “Bill” Miles has received the first Hometown Hero Award from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, with federal officials citing his leadership in overdose-response investigations and support for families affected by fentanyl deaths.
According to the June 9 release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon presented the award at DEA San Diego headquarters. The office said the recognition is tied to America’s 250th anniversary and honors individuals who exemplify service, civic responsibility and community impact.
A task-force role focused on overdose deaths
The U.S. Attorney’s Office described Miles as a 28-year San Diego Police Department veteran who has served since 2023 as group supervisor of the Overdose Response Team. The release said the multi-agency task force is led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and works with Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, La Mesa Police Department, the California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force and state health officials.
Federal officials said the team investigates fentanyl and other dangerous-drug distributions linked to fatal overdoses in San Diego and La Mesa, pursuing state and federal cases where the evidence supports prosecution.
The release credited Miles’ leadership with responses to more than 315 overdose deaths, numerous investigations and prosecutions, and work that officials said contributed to a 39 percent decline in overdose deaths, from 814 in 2022 to 494 in 2024.
Recognition for accountability and compassion
Gordon said Miles’ work has touched families while holding fentanyl traffickers accountable.
“Detective Sergeant Miles’ dedication to protecting the community, supporting victims’ families, and holding fentanyl traffickers accountable has touched countless lives,” Gordon said in the release. “His service exemplifies the very meaning of a hometown hero.”
DEA San Diego Special Agent in Charge James Nunnelly also praised Miles’ commitment to families and public safety, saying in the release that Miles is “committed to finding answers and accountability for families who have been torn apart by fentanyl.”
Miles, in a statement included in the release, said the award reflects the work of the Narcotics Task Force Overdose Response Team and community partners who work to identify and apprehend people responsible for distributing deadly drugs.
Why this matters
For ThinBlueNews readers, the story highlights a less visible side of law enforcement: the long after-action work that follows an overdose death, where investigators, analysts, prosecutors and families try to turn grief into accountability and prevention.
The release does not include a public ceremony photo, so ThinBlueNews used a restrained editorial card rather than inventing a scene or using unrelated imagery.