Submitted article and staff report
news@wbcowqel.com
Forces from around Crawford County and the state of Ohio met with Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine in Columbus for an emergency meeting on the state’s continuing opiate and heroin epidemic.
In a post on the Bucyrus Police Department’s Facebook page, Chief Dave Koepke noted that he along with Chief Brian Saterfield of Galion, Detective Ed Reike of the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Chief Charles Doan of the Plymouth Police Department, Captain Joseph Greathouse, and Fire Chief Jay Keller joined over 800 law enforcement officials at the Mount Hebron Missionary Baptist Church to discuss the heroin epidemic in Ohio.
The event also included members of including social services, counseling, education, churches, courts, volunteers, medical, fire, EMT, and others that have demonstrated teamwork, collaboration and dedication in the struggle of the opiate drug epidemic.
“Our area was hit harder than most and we experienced firsthand that you can’t arrest your way out of this problem alone,” Koepke said. “Progress has been seen thanks to an ‘all of the above’ approach with awareness and response to opiate addiction and overdoses on all fronts. We are reminded the challenge remains with a non-fatal overdose over the weekend and a traffic stop and discovery of heroin Tuesday.”
The post from the Bucyrus police chief gave words of encouragement to those on the road to recovery.
“We congratulate and encourage everyone in recovery to remember we care about them, they are not alone, and support their effort to stay on the recovery path,” Koepke said in the post.
The rest of the state and nation is experiencing the heroin and opiate overdose epidemic at a rate that Crawford County had experienced a few years ago.
Other local representatives that attended the event included Mayor Jeff Reser, Bucyrus Law Director Rob Ratliff, Crawford County Prosecutor Matt Crall, and ADAMH Board Director Jodi Demo-Hodgins.
“It was a valuable event with innovative ideas being shared. Law enforcement in Crawford County will continue to work together responding to the epidemic of opiate addiction and overdoses. We appreciate and rely on your assistance to help others overcome addiction, prevent overdoses and have a safer community,” Koepke’s post stated.