Sheriff Plummer reported that there is an opioid epidemic that is bringing a lot of negative national attention to Montgomery County. The only positive thing with the national attention is that the Federal Government is beginning to listen, and Montgomery County may start to get resources to help fight this epidemic. In 2016, 59,000 American lives nationally were lost to this epidemic.

Chief Deputy Rob Streck referenced a PowerPoint presentation and reported on the following opioid issues and other matters relating to policing in Montgomery County:

There are many key contributing factors to the heroin problem in Ohio. The Sinaloa Cartel and the La Familia Michoacana Cartel are the two main Mexican drug cartels that control the drug trade in Montgomery County. The cartels generate an estimated $64 billion annually from the sale of drugs. Montgomery County’s I-70 and I-75 are the crossroads of America, so Dayton has become a source city for the drug trade.

Today, fentanyl is the leading opioid of abuse in many areas of Ohio. Its availability and use are also outpacing heroin in many places in the U.S. Heroin is 100 times stronger than morphine and fentanyl is 100 times more powerful than heroin. The U.S. DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) issued a carfentanil warning in September 2016 to the general public cautioning that carfentanil, a synthetic opioid, is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, and could be lethal at the 2-milligram range. There have been 27 different strands of fentanyl identified in Montgomery County alone.

In 2016, there were 1,705 calls for service relating to overdoses. From January 1, 2017 – July 2, 2017, there have been 2,414 calls for service relating to overdoses. The city of Dayton projects to hit 4,000 EMS runs in 2017, which impacts surrounding cities assisting with mutual aid. In 2015, there were 259 accidental overdose deaths, 349 accidental overdose deaths in 2016 and year-to-date in 2017, there have been 404 accidental overdose deaths.

To help combat the problem, there have been multiple task forces and programs organized.

The R.A.N.G.E Task Force’s primary focus is to disrupt drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises operating in and around the Miami Valley. The task force works diligently to fight the heroin epidemic, along with the other drug problems facing Montgomery and Clark counties. Their main goal is to put people in jail.

The Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force consists of officers from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, R.A.N.G.E Task Force, Miami Township Police Department, Butler Township Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office. The task force was developed to investigate upper-level drug organizations in Montgomery County and surrounding areas.

The Bulk Smuggling Task Force is responsible for tracking the money. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office developed directed patrols to combat high crime areas and citizen complaints using “hot spot” and intelligence-based coordination. Deputies focus on street level hot spots that are usually controlled by gangs.

Naloxone/Narcan use is controversial, but it is the first step in combatting deaths from overdose. Approximately 600 Narcan kits have been utilized by law enforcement year-to-date.

The mission of the Montgomery County Drug-Free Coalition is to promote a drug-free community by mobilizing diverse partnerships; developing, implementing and supporting environmental strategies; and increasing public awareness of the harmful effects of heroin, opiates, and illegal prescription drugs.

The Front Door Project allows Deputies the option to take individuals who request assistance to treatment centers. The Cornerstone Project can then provide instant medical assessments and the individuals can be referred to outpatient treatment or an inpatient facility. This project has expanded to MCSO, Dayton, Huber Heights and Riverside.

The G.R.O.W. (Getting Recovery Options Working) Project is an interdisciplinary outreach team that consists of a representative from law enforcement, a medically assisted treatment provider, peer-and-family support service provider and a local community based organization that has established trusted relationships within the community. The goal is to educate and connect individuals with opiate addiction and their family and friends to a medically assisted treatment service provider or other available community resource.