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Attorney General Mike DeWine
DeWine Leads
Emergency Meeting to Fight Ohio’s Drug Epidemic
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today led a
statewide emergency meeting – “Ideas that Work – Fighting the Drug
Epidemic in Ohio” – to help leaders in Ohio’s counties combat the drug
epidemic in our state.
"Ohio is facing the worst drug epidemic in my lifetime," said Attorney
General DeWine. "The human toll, the increased crime, and the overall
community impact of this epidemic are devastating. We must work
together to find – and share – effective solutions.”
Nearly 800 attendees who represent sheriff’s offices, police
departments, state and federal investigative agencies, emergency
medical services groups, public safety directors, county coroners,
treatment providers, probation and parole leaders, addiction and mental
health experts, prosecutors and judges attended the conference to hear
about innovating programs and ideas that are working and resources that
are available.
Topics covered at the emergency meeting included:
Naloxone: Why emergency medical personnel carry naloxone, the immediate
effect it has, and the long-term effect is has on people in recovery
when they’re given a second chance.
Addiction in Jail: New ways some law enforcement agencies are handling
the issue of detoxing addicts in jail.
New Partnerships: How law enforcement is doing business differently,
partnering with others, and helping those in addiction get out.
Drug Task Forces: How Ohio’s drug task forces are dealing with drug
investigations and going after dealers.
Investigative Tools: How using OARRS, the State Board of Pharmacy
online prescription drug database, can prove invaluable in drug
investigations.
Crime Scene Training: How some law enforcement agencies are now
treating drug overdose scenes as crime scenes and the training that’s
needed.
Resources: How the Ohio Attorney General’s Heroin Unit Outreach Team
and other state resources can help communities with solutions.
Since 2013, the Ohio Attorney General’s Heroin Unit has worked to
confront the drug problem across the state. The Heroin Unit includes
the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC), the Ohio
Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), the Special Prosecutions
Section, and the Outreach Team.
“In 2014, we lost three to four Ohioans every day to unintentional drug
overdoses from heroin,” said Attorney General DeWine. “Today we took a
huge step forward in the fight against drugs in our communities. I am
hopeful that together, we can continue to make a difference. It’s a
daily fight.”
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