Fentanyl a growing problem in St. Landry Parish, sheriff says
ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY) -- Due to the recent arrests of individuals possessing and intending to distribute fentanyl, St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said his office is taking a bigger approach to how they handle overdose calls and drug arrests.
"We are spending a lot of manpower and resources to fight this problem, and we've been pretty successful, but again it is not all gone," Guidroz said.
He said the presence of fentanyl in the parish should raise concern for all law enforcement.
"Unless a spouse or concerned loved one does research, they won't know a thing about how to save somebody," Guidroz said.
The Sheriff said his department has taken things into its own hands. He said they have taken to social media, providing updates and facts about the deadly drug.
"It is my job, I think. Social media is a good place. We have a lot of followers. It is important they know what they are dealing with," Guidroz explained.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.
Sheriff Guidroz said it's a major contributor to fatal and non-fatal overdoses in the state, and the parish is starting to see more of it.
He said his deputies and dispatch are trained to recognize the complaint and respond accordingly.
"We always send an ambulance. We are fortunate to have three services," Guidroz added.