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Ocala
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Police, fire chiefs provide details on 77 overdoses, 14 deaths related to opioids in 2019

The police chief and fire chief of Ocala Police Department and Ocala Fire Rescue provided details during Tuesday’s city council meeting about the 77 overdoses and 14 deaths that have occurred in 2019 as a result of opioids.

Police Chief Greg Graham, who last month reported that the city had experienced 60 overdoses with 11 fatalities that resulted from those overdoses, indicated that in the last two weeks alone, they handled two additional fatalities.

Graham went on to speak about the success of the police department’s amnesty program, which has seen over 100 participants to date.

“We have had 103 people participate in our amnesty program, so we broke 100. Within the last couple of days, we’ve had a bunch,” said Graham.

When asked about the amnesty program, which is an initiative by the police department to help drug addicts who are seeking treatment, Graham explained that even if participants came to the police department with drugs in their possession, the drugs would be destroyed and the individual would be helped.

“I know some have [come with drugs], certainly with paraphernalia that have drug residue. I don’t ask a lot of questions. If someone walks in and they need help, we give them help,” said Graham.

Ocala Fire Rescue Chief Shane Alexander indicated that the fire department had recently incorporated an online request form for their Narcan leave-behind program, which allows friends and family members of drug abusers to keep an emergency form of aid on hand in case of overdose.

You can fill out the Narcan leave-behind form on Ocala Fire Rescue’s website here.Â