Six overdose deaths in 10 days, Ocala police chief reports – News – Ocala.com

Police Chief Greg Graham noted in an “urgent” social media post on Tuesday that there were 78 overdoses in 2017, with 16 deaths. This year there have been 161 overdoses, with 25 deaths.

Ocala Police Chief Greg Graham on Tuesday posted an urgent message to his agency’s Facebook page, noting that six people have died of drug overdoses in the city in the past 10 days.

The city had 78 overdoses in 2017, with 16 deaths. So far this year there have been 161 overdoses and 25 deaths, including the six most recent.

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Graham said methamphetamine (including drugs known as MDMA and Molly), cocaine, heroin, opiates and fentanyl caused the deaths.

“Fentanyl has been found in every type of drug in Marion County this year. No drug is safe, as users have no way of knowing whether or not the drug they are taking is cut with fentanyl. Several overdose deaths in Ocala resulted from cocaine and methamphetamines. This epidemic is not exclusive to heroin,” Graham stated in the post.

Many local first responders, including those with the Ocala Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, have been equipped with Narcan and trained in how to administer the nasal form of naloxone, which is used to treat suspected opioid overdoses. 

In February, city and police officials created an amnesty program that allows addicts to go to the police department, ask for help, and be taken to a treatment facility. Graham noted in his post that to date, OPD has saved 36 lives by administering Narcan and 37 people have been provided access to addiction treatment through our amnesty program.

“To those who are addicted: Come to OPD, ask for help, and face no risk of charges. We will transport you to a treatment provider immediately and you will be guaranteed access through our amnesty program. YOU CAN RECOVER and we’re ready to help when you are ready to save yourself. We know it’s scary, but you will not face this alone. Have courage,” Graham wrote in the post.

He also wrote, “To drug dealers: If you are preying on people who are struggling with an addiction and supplying them with deadly substances, you will face murder charges if/when they die from an overdose. We had a historic first-degree murder indictment on a drug dealer at the beginning of this year and we are actively pursuing murder charges for multiple dealers involved in recent overdose deaths. We will not rest until you face proportionate consequences for your actions.”

Graham’s Facebook post is just his latest outreach effort on this topic. In September he addressed a community forum and pressed for more awareness, advocacy and cooperation. “This is a problem we’re never going to be able to arrest our way out of,” he said.

In April, when announcing that historic murder indictment, Graham called a news conference and pledged continued vigilance. “OPD is doing everything we can to help combat our heroin epidemic,” he said at the time.

OPD headquarters is located at 402 S. Pine Ave., Ocala. To learn more, call 369-7000.