Throughout this week, beginning on Monday, March 12, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office hosted a seminar taught by the world renowned Law Enforcement Training firm, Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, to area law enforcement investigators to help investigate potential opioid related deaths.
This week long training contained modules in crime scene analysis, interview tactics, and interrogation principles, investigation of opioid related overdoses and deaths, false confessions, and courtroom testimony. The training also focused on investigating how opioid related drugs are procured, how the trade of illegal opioids is conducted, and tips on how to work with prosecutors and providing effective presentation of evidence at trials.
The nation and state are facing a crisis resulting in addiction to and overdose related deaths from the production and sale of illegal drugs. Law enforcement across the nation are working diligently to help educate their respective communities on the adverse effects of illegal opioid use and manufacturing. This includes aggressive law enforcement operations geared at holding those who hurt our community and cause death and destruction of lives accountable, said officials.
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam announced Jan. 22 an aggressive and comprehensive plan to end the opioid epidemic in Tennessee by focusing on three major components: prevention, treatment and law enforcement. TN Together is a multi-faceted initiative that addresses the issue of opioid addiction through legislation, proposed funding in the governor’s 2018-19 budget and executive actions.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is committed to joining with Governor Haslam and local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to combat the opioid epidemic that is killing members of the community, said officials.
By providing the training course and going after those who willingly manufacture and distribute dangerous opioids in the community, the HCSO and local and regional law enforcement agencies are supporting the law enforcement prong of Governor Haslam’s TN Together Plan, said officials.
The following law enforcement agencies participated in this week’s training seminar:
10th Judicial Drug Taskforce (JDTF)
Bradley County Sheriff’s Office
Chattanooga Police Department
Cleveland Police Department
Collegedale Police Department
East Ridge Police Department
Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office
Red Bank Police Department
Soddy Daisy Police Department
For more information regarding Governor Haslam’s TN Together Plan, please visit: https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2018/1/22/haslam-announces-aggressive--comprehensive-plan-to-end-tennessee-s-opioid-epidemicemic.html
For more information regarding local efforts to combat opioid prevention, please visit the Hamilton County Coalition’s Website: https://www.hccoalition.org/battlingoverdoses