SHAWANO, Wis. (AP) - Authorities in and around Shawano County say they’re seeing a rise in drug-related activity because drug suppliers think of rural areas as harder to police.
In response, law enforcement officers are trying to combat that perception with aggressive drug enforcement and education, the Press-Gazette Media reported (https://gbpg.net/1hPvkMD ).
Shawano County sheriff’s Capt. Tom Tuma said information gleaned from people serving time for drug-related crimes suggests a change in drug-dealing strategy. Dealers seem to believe that smaller communities have fewer police resources, so they’re increasingly shifting their marketing to take advantage of perceived safe zones.
“That’s why you’re seeing these partnerships form between agencies,” Tuma said. “We’re trying to send a clear message that ’We’re on to you,’ we’re going to work it aggressively and we’re going to try to deter them from further exploiting the rural areas of central Wisconsin.”
Agencies acknowledge that there are staffing shortages that are often the result of cash-strapped budgets. So sheriff’s departments in different counties have begun teaming up to pool resources and information, and federal agents have also been active in trying to shut down heroin rings that extend to Milwaukee and Chicago.
For example, joint drug investigations in Marinette County and Michigan’s Menominee County resulted in 76 arrests last year for the use and distribution of illegal drugs. That’s an increase of about 50 percent from 2012.
While law enforcement agencies try to fight the problem on the streets, they, along with lawmakers, say education is as much as part of the solution. So officials are also emphasizing diversion programs, community support and efforts to teach the public how to recognize signs of possible addiction.
A legislative committee recently approved a package of bills aimed at helping fight narcotic abuse and addiction in Wisconsin.
The bills include measures that require people picking up narcotic prescriptions at pharmacies to show identification, and they also provide limited immunity for people who call 911 to report an overdose.
There are also provisions that make it easier to drop off narcotics at community drug-disposal programs and one that allows more emergency responders to administer a drug designed to counter the effects of a heroin overdose.
___
Information from: Press-Gazette Media, https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.