SYLVANIA, OH (WTOL) - Around ten local agencies are trying to fight the heroin epidemic that has a strong hold on the community, and Monday night those agencies joined forces for a special forum.
Recovering addicts, drug experts and educators are all available to tackle this problem head on at the Franciscan Center on the campus of Lourdes University.
In a united front to rid the surrounding neighborhoods from heroin, the Sylvania police and fire departments, DART representatives, the Lucas County Sheriff's Office and multiple other organizations are teaming up.Lucas County Sheriff John Tharp says he was preparing for this for a while and says everyone plays an important part.
"I don't think everyone in our county, everyone in the state and throughout the country really realizes what an epidemic that we are in," Tharp says. "This is so serious, I have never seen it like this in my entire career. Of the 45 years that I've been in law enforcement, we have never seen an epidemic such as this."
Law enforcement can help get drugs off the streets, but they aren't experts in treatment. Sheriff Tharp says they need everyone's help.
