TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - Our country is battling a growing and ever changing health crisis with the heroin epidemic.
To stay one step ahead of the epidemic, law enforcement continues to find new ways to prevent more tragic stories of addiction.
CNN visited Lucas County this week to profile the sheriff's Drug Abuse Response Team or DART Unit.
"CNN really felt that this was something that should be shared throughout the United States and they wanted to share this," said Sheriff John Tharp, Lucas County.
The DART Unit works relentlessly to help those battling addiction, even though they are breaking the law by using heroin.
Sheriff Tharp says CNN was mainly concerned about how the unit's proactive approach works for the community.
"Why were we so concerned about getting people into treatment as opposed to just arresting them and charging them and locking them up," Sheriff Tharp explained.
One of the other reasons Sheriff Tharp said CNN was interested in the DART program was how they are able to engage the community in fighting the heroin epidemic.
"Organizations such as the car dealerships, Bronde's, Yark, Grogan, furthermore Louisville Title other organizations that have helped so much to curb the heroin epidemic in Lucas County," Sheriff Tharp said.
The CNN special is expected to air mid-August. Sheriff Tharp said he hopes the DART Unit special can inspire other communities to take action.
