93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
Columbia Police are encouraging you to attend Tuesday’s emergency community meeting about the increasing number of fentanyl-related overdose deaths in the city.
Police Chief Geoff Jones says there have been at least 22 overdose deaths in Columbia this year, with seven happening in August and another four in September.
“It’s really become an issue that we cannot manage on our own. And it begs us as a community to step forward and do something,” Chief Jones says.
Chief Jones, CPD, Columbia firefighters and the health department have organized Tuesday night’s town meeting at Hickman High School, which begins at 7.
Detectives are seeing an increasing trend in Columbia: CPD officers are responding to drug overdoses and are having to administer Narcan.
“What we’ve seen recently is that it’s been mixed with other drugs, and people who would typically use a stimulant such as meth or cocaine are using fentanyl that is mixed in to those substances, not knowing that fentanyl is present,” says Jones.
Everyone is welcome at Tuesday’s meeting, and Narcan will be distributed.
Chief Jones and the health department’s Scott Clardy will discuss the issue in-detail with host Fred Parry Saturday morning at 7 on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Round Table.” They’ll be guests for the entire hour.
