Michael Daniels briefed the Board of Works and Public Safety Tuesday morning about the start of a harm reduction campaign in Shelby County aimed at curbing the alarming rise of overdose deaths due to fentanyl.

Over the last 15 months, 90% of all drug overdoses in Shelby County are due to fentanyl, a powerful opioid 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin. The drug is being mixed into heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, Oxycontin, Roxycontin and benzodiazepines.

In an effort to quell the death count, Daniels, the City of Shelbyville’s Behavioral Health & Justice Equity Director, will now distribute free naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and Deterra disposal bags from his second floor office at City Hall.

Naloxone counteracts all opiates, including fentanyl, while the fentanyl test strips will quickly determine if opiates are laced with fentanyl.

Daniels stressed this campaign is to keep people from dying.

“Our department cautions that there are no safe ways to use drugs,” said Daniels. “Fentanyl is being found in everything, everywhere across the county and it is fatal.”

There will be no questions asked of anyone requesting naloxone or fentanyl test strips and names will not be logged. The city is not paying for the naloxone or fentanyl test strips, which are specifically provided by Overdose Lifeline.

“As an ex-police officer, I was against giving out prophylactics to try and do away with AIDS and against needle exchange for heroin and other drug users until I realized that no matter how many people were involved, if it would save one life it was worth it,” said Board of Works member Bob Williams, a former mayor and police chief of Shelbyville. “I am glad to see we are progressing in this direction.”

Daniels believes relationships can be formed in the process to assist those desiring rehabilitation and recovery assistance.

As for the police department response, Shelbyville Police Chief Mark Weidner says there is progress in identifying how the fentanyl is getting into Shelby County.

“We are trying to keep on top of who is the main dealer and work those cases accordingly,” said Weidner Tuesday morning. “It’s a retroactive thing but there are some long looks now that if you can prove that someone furnished the drugs that killed someone they can be charged.”

There is not a quick fix to the problem, though, according to Weidner.

“There are things that have to be done at the exact right time but we’re getting there,” he said.

Residents can report supplies tainted with fentanyl anonymously by calling CrimeStoppers at 317-262-TIPS.

City police officers as well as county sheriffs carry naloxone while on patrol. There also are naloxone distribution boxes located in Shelbyville at 26 W. Broadway St., near Fire Station No. 1, and at 105 N. Vine St.

“This is the first step in what we expect to be a comprehensive harm reduction strategy both for prevention as well as a response to stop the surge of overdose deaths we are seeing in our county,” said Daniels. “And, equally importantly, to connect people to care before they get to that particular point so we can get them treatment.”

To get resources for rehabilitation and recovery, contact Daniels at 317-398-6624, extension 300 or email him at mdaniels@cityofshelbyvillein.com.

“This is a bold step for us as a community. We talk about harm reduction, this isn’t something people discuss very often,” said Shelbyville Mayor Tom DeBaun, also a member of the Board of Works. “We talk about treatment or we talk about prosecution but we sometimes fail to realize there is an element of our community that will continue to use regardless of those efforts of treatment or prosecution. I know this is a delicate topic but it is one I appreciate you (Daniels) taking proactive steps on.”