An Analysis of Drug Issues in Biddeford

Management Team was asked:

Report on the current things that City employees are seeing in the field as it relates to drug related activity….

Public Works

Includes public park maintenance, streets, wastewater treatment, trash collection

Reporting sharps:found in the following locations, when found:

• Glutter lines along roads• Trash containers in household trash collection• On ground in public parks

data not recorded specificallyConclusion: ‘the crews have not note any significant

increase in these observations over the last few years and specifically not in the last year’

Recreation & Teen Center

Includes all recreation buildings, recreational properties, city athletic fields and teen center

Reporting sharps:only two sharps found in any of the locationsrequirement to report such

Conclusion: no increase in presents of sharps in the community

Note: department is involved with a couple of preventive programs i.e. Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition and Maine Youth Action Network

Community Development

Involved with allocation, directing and overseeing the use of CDBG funds as well as obtainment of state goals

Reporting sharps:– no known reports of sharps in the CDBG targeted area– One seen in targeted area eight years ago – Very limited sources

Note: program funds used to proactively deal with substance abuse issues i.e. Community Partners for Protecting Children (CPPC)

Health & Welfare

Includes the service to the most needy in the community via state general assistance program and locally administered funds

Reporting substance abuse issues:– In two year study, only 25 applicants self reported

substance abuse– Staff anticipates higher activity but limits by law in

seeking information

Fire/EMS

Includes traditional fire activities, inspections and ambulance services

Reporting issues:– Increase in the numbers of patients requiring Narcan

(drug to counter effects of heroin) – 2013: 30– 2014: 55– 2015: 57 (through 9/23) on pace for 78

Note: total substance abuse trend in 2015 is on par with 2014 (209 vs 153 through 9/23)

Non-Police Conclusion

• Substance abuse issue have been present in community for a while

• Issue of substance abuse is a common society issue and impacts urban service centers

• Heroin is the latest substance of choice• Like other communities in Maine, Biddeford is

seeing increase in heroin activity

Biddeford Police

Street Crimes UnitSgt. Steven T. Gorton

Important Notes• This is intended to be a general overview of the Police

Department’s efforts regarding the heroin problem.• The discussion of cases, operations, or ongoing

investigations are inappropriate in a public forum and therefore cannot be discussed.

• Statistics included in this presentation are not intended to be “all inclusive” rather to give a sense of the scope of the issue.

• Anyone seeking help with addiction or with specific information regarding criminal activity is encouraged to make contact with the Biddeford Police Department at 282-5127 or anonymously at www.bpd.net

The Heroin Problem

• It is important to note that this is not just a “Biddeford Problem”

• Heroin use is occurring at an alarming rate nationwide

• There has been a nationwide increase (150% since 2007)

Cause

What is responsible for the increase?• There is seldom a single cause for such things but most point

to the abuse of prescription drugs, both prescribed and illegally obtained

• Those who are addicted to narcotic painkillers are 40 times more likely to misuse heroin.

• These prescription narcotics which were once reserved for cancer and “end-of-life” pain are now widely prescribed for conditions ranging from dental work to chronic back pain.

• A recent crack down (nationwide) on both the prescribing and the possession of these prescription narcotics has made them difficult to get and expensive on a “street” level.

• Enter…..Heroin, initially very cheap (sometimes $10 a dose) and easy to obtain.

Maine

Like other areas of the country, Maine has seen an increase in the abuse of heroin.• Statewide heroin overdose deaths have

increased from 7 in 2011 to 57 in 2014.• The number of people seeking treatment

tripled from 1115 in 2010 to 3463 in 2014.• It is important to note that there are currently

no inpatient detox facilities in the state of Maine.

Maine

Recent media reports:Washington Post – “And then he

decided not to be” (an article on heroin use in Falmouth)

Press Herald - Opiate danger spikes in Portland with 14 overdoses in 24 hours

Biddeford• Incidents which heroin is listed in the report has

almost doubled every year for the past three years.– 2013 24– 2014 46– 2015 90

• Overdoses/Administration of Narcan– 2012 17– 2013 30– 2014 55– 2015 57(as of 09/29)

So what are we doing?

• Enforcement– Biddeford has two officers assigned to the Maine Drug

Enforcement Agency, including the York County Supervisor. Additionally we have one officer assigned to DEA.

– In October 2014 Chief Beaupre launched the Biddeford Police Street Crimes Unit intending that it specifically address “quality of life” issues within the city, including but not limited to drug trafficking, possession and use.

– Outside of the above mentioned, it is a focus and tasking of every officer at the Police Department to detect and deter this activity and other criminal acts associated as “drug seeking” behavior.

Prevention

• SCU seeks and receives input on a daily basis from residents, business owners, community partners, and other service providers.

• This can take many forms:– Information/Intelligence about activity– Access to privately owned locations where we can

observe the conduct ourselves– Community/resource collaboration • Both public and private

Prevention

• In response to concerns of needles being found in public places, Chief Beaupre has recently purchased secure sharps containers to be distributed.

• The eventual locations of these is under consideration

Human Trafficking

• A disturbing companion to heroin use has been human trafficking.

• We have seen women both local and from outside the state, heroin addicted and trafficked into multiple daily sexual acts for money. The victims get/keep none of this money, they are merely provided with food and heroin.

• The human cost of this is staggering leaving the victim, usually a young female, physically and emotionally devastated.

• SCU actively seeks to identify and charge these cases. Two SCU Officers have been trained and designated as Homeland Security Investigation Human Trafficking Task Force Officers.

Where we go from here

• We are currently working with SMHC. We recognize programs such as the Angel Program (Glouchester, Ma) and would like to assess and go forward with a local version.

• One of our major concerns is being prepared to provide impactful addiction support when someone is at a place to accept it.

Availability of Services

• Our experience has been that when someone asks for help, if the services are not immediately available (24/7/365), we as service providers often miss our chance.

• We propose and are working to develop immediate assistance by taking the subject directly to our local medical center for evaluation and access to services.

• This is not to say nothing is happening now, we work daily with subjects who request help and have had successes within the current process.

• I currently have people, who we attempted to help on varying levels, who text or call me often with the status of their recovery.– These are just assistance with recovery contacts, they haven’t been

charged by me and are not providing me any information/intelligence.

Closing• SMHC has been a resource and partner in this discussion and

we recognize that financial/budgetary concerns exist. It will be important to identify and access funding going forward.

• It has been stated that the Angel Program allows for amnesty/no charges for heroin possession if you participate in the program. This is simply not true.

• That program, in principle, does allow for heroin and paraphernalia to be surrendered without charges (we will enter into discussion with the DA’s office regarding this).

• If you are contacted through investigation by law enforcement in possession YOU WILL BE CHARGED.