CHATHAM, Va – The goal is to make sure drug overdoses don’t happen in anymore in Southwest Virginia.
The Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office launched a new initiative to fight fentanyl overdoses called Operation Safe Communities.
“I hope we can reduce some of these things in our community,” Pittsylvania County Sheriff Michael Taylor said.
Taylor is wanting to make sure people are safe in his county from fentanyl.
“I don’t think we can arrest our way out of the problem,” Taylor said.
It’s why the sheriff launched Operation Safe Communities; it was a part of the Governor’s executive order issued last year.
The goal of the initiative is for the public to help identify and arrest those who are selling illegal drugs, like fentanyl in the county.
“We want to identify the people who are profiting off the sale of drugs, and we want to prosecute them,” Taylor said.
Taylor said drug overdoses are a major problem in Virginia and the county.
He said the latest available data from the state shows roughly 1,950 people died in the commonwealth from fentanyl overdose in 2022.
It’s a problem Taylor said has effect in Southwest Virginia.
Taylor said in 2023, Pittsylvania County first responders answered 97 overdose calls; in the first quarter of 2024, first responders answered 28.
“If I never have to go to another funeral of an overdose victim, I would be happy,” Taylor said.
The sheriff wants to institute a number of initiatives to make sure drug overdose is not a problem here in the area, the first is educating the public about the dangers of drug overdose specifically fentanyl, the next is provide assistance to those who are dealing with drug overdose, the third is providing specialized training to those who may have to answer that call.
“This is going to be a priority in the weeks and months to come,” he said.
People can call the Operations Safe Communities Hotline at 434-770-3358.