(The Washington Times)
The surge of powerful opioids and the record number of deadly overdoses are forcing law enforcement to change the way they do their jobs, adding social work and education to their traditional role of crime-fighting as they scramble to combat the threat.
Officers trained to kick down doors are now knocking on them, offering addicts a ride to rehab. Agencies accustomed to stopping drug distribution are handing out naloxone, an emergency drug that reverses overdoses. Once casting a suspicious eye on addicts, officers are now welcoming them with open arms when they arrive to trade drugs for treatment.
“We can’t be cowboys trying to arrest our way out of this problem,” said Kevin Eaton, the resident agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s office in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
As the opioid crisis rages across the country, local and federal authorities have become overwhelmed by an epidemic that claimed almost 48,000 lives last year. Many of the deaths have been linked to the synthetic opioid fentanyl, which is 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. Read more
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