In response to a recent up-tic in opioid-related deaths, locally, Sheriff Cross addressed the community, pleadingly. “I talked to (the coroner) today. We have five pending cases down in Atlanta, and she confirmed to me that she thinks four of these were drug related.” He goes on to say those numbers aren’t official, but alarming nonetheless. Full video of the address at the end of the story.
According to the sheriff, in 2018 there were 22 overdoses in Dade County with the Sheriff’s Department responding to a total of 39 “unresponsive” calls. So far in 2021, there have been 39 recorded overdoses and 79 unresponsive calls. “These dealers that are doing this, I’m going to send a message to you: You better stop. You better not come to Dade County and even think about getting drugs to our kids, because we’re fed up with it. We’re not going to tolerate that here in our county,” says Sheriff Cross.
The message was much lighter toward the drug users. The sheriff, along with Sergeant Hailey Smith, reiterated that the drug users in the community are not the criminals they are trying to ‘take down.’ They are most often the victims of the aforementioned dealers, and they and their families are the ones suffering the most. “Our main thing is to help those who are users. Those are the victims,” expressed Sheriff Cross.
“Some of you have children who are involved in drug activity. It would be better to let us know and let us make an arrest and try and get these kids some help, than to see them die of a drug overdose.”
Cross has asked that anyone with information contact the Sheriff’s Department to help fight this crisis. Any information, no matter how small may be what stands to save a life. You may submit tips and information anonymously via FaceBook, by phone, email or contact the Lookout Mountain Judicial Drug Task Force directly.
Dade County Sheriff’s Office
[email protected] 706-657-3233
Lookout Mtn. Judicial Drug Task Force
https://www.lmjcdtf.org/ 706-638-5570
by Orey Yates
