At our November board meeting, Sheriff Todd Baxter discussed educational opportunities available through the Monroe County Sheriff Department as well as other area law enforcement agencies. Two such programs are Active Shooter Drills, which include defense against an active shooter and first aid, and Opioid Epidemic Education Programs. These programs can be customized and tailored to a specific time allotment and a wide range of audiences
Sheriff Baxter also described the efforts Monroe County is taking to combat the Opioid Epidemic. As of October 31st, 2018 there have been a total of 988 heroin overdoses, 139 of which were fatal. This epidemic is not just plaguing inner-city Rochester; overdoses are occurring across the county. Sheriff Baxter stated that “every town in Monroe County has been affected by at least one heroin overdose in the last year.”
The District Attorney’s Office created daily overdose reports that are completed by road officers and submitted to the Monroe Crime Analysis Center. These reports are reviewed and analyzed by a multidisciplinary team of law enforcement and non-government agencies every morning to determine measurable objectives that are tracked in real time in order to better combat the epidemic. This includes better understanding of the type of drugs, geographic location of overdose, contributing factors to the overdose, and the source of drugs.
Monroe County is proactively combating the opioid epidemic. Sheriff Baxter notes that Monroe County has hired 4 counselors for the County Jail to guide those wanting to detox through the process.
Currently, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is leading the effort with educational initiatives. The office is focused on removing the stigma and stereotype associated with opioid addiction. If you are interested in having the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office give a presentation to your organization contact:
Michael Radler
Assistant to the Sheriff
Monroe County Sheriff's Office
130 South Plymouth Avenue
Rochester, New York 14614
(585) 753-4522
MichaelRadler@monroecounty.gov
For more information about the opioid epidemic and resources available check out the Opioid Task Force of Monroe County.