COLUMBUS, Ind. — Local law enforcement are joining forces to combat the recent spike in heroin overdoses.
Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop announced the formation of the Heroin Overdose Response Initiative in Bartholomew County during the State of the City on Tuesday.
“This Heroin Overdose Response Initiative is another proactive step to aggressively investigate situations that are likely to help law enforcement identify, target, arrest and assist in the prosecution of individuals and organizations responsible for distributing heroin and other controlled substances in Bartholomew County,” Lienhoop said.
Columbus Police and the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office have signed a memorandum of understanding to coordinate the group.
The purpose is to maximize interagency cooperation by establishing consistency among heroin overdose investigation protocols and facilitating intelligence gathering and sharing between the agencies.
Sheriff Matt Myers said, “Since day one, my focus for the Sheriff’s Office has been on the importance of partnership and cooperation among all law enforcement agencies because, by working together, I knew we could improve our ability to better serve Bartholomew County.”
