With opioid addiction reaching what some are calling epidemic proportions in Danville, law enforcement has an obvious role to play. Treatment and prevention specialists say the Danville Police are doing more than just arresting offenders.
Both social workers and police have an interest solving community problems but it's not unheard of for the two to be at odds over how to get the job done. In Danville, though, social workers and police are finding some important ways to work together as the city deals with one of Virginia's highest opioid addiction rates.
Amanda Oakes directs prevention efforts at Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services. She says police are helping by doing their most basic duty: Enforcing the law. “If we're asking for tougher regulations around prescribing or tougher policies then there has to be accountability,“ Oakes says.
She also gives them credit for understanding there's much more to this than putting people in jail, however. “They were one of the first in Virginia to have a permanent drop-off site at the police department taking those unwanted medications. They also work with us each year to have take-back events which have to be sponsored by local law enforcement with DEA.”
Oakes' colleague Sandy Irby adds one more important development. "Local law enforcement also is getting training on how to use Narcan if they come upon somebody that's experiencing an overdose."
Narcan is a brand of naloxone, a life-saver in an overdose emergency. That's especially important in Danville where last year seven people died from opioid overdoses.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.