Article from the Rocky Mount Telegram
By Lindell John Kay
Staff Writer
Monday, April 4, 2016
The Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office is offering help to anyone who wants to break their addiction to opiates.
Dubbed the Coordinated Opiate Recovery Effort, or CORE, the program will allow residents to go to the Sheriff’s Office without fear of prosecution and ask a deputy to find them a treatment program.
“Anyone possessing drugs or paraphernalia at the time they are requesting help will not be charged with those drugs or paraphernalia,” said Sheriff James Knight.
The program — similar to initiatives recently started by other area law enforcement agencies — has been instituted to combat the local spike in opiate abuse resulting in increased overdoses and overdose deaths.
“This has been seen not just in Edgecombe County, but surrounding counties as well,” Knight said, calling an increase in heroin and other opiates a “new reality.”
The Sheriff’s Office has partnered with Eastpointe, the region’s mental and behavioral heath management provider, along with Easter Seals, Integrated Family Services, Starting Point, and the District Attorney’s Office to find treatment for those who wish to receive it.
Opiate abuse is a problem that can’t be prosecuted away, however law enforcement is combating opiate distributors daily through the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Taskforce, Knight said.
“This program serves as a supplement to prosecution efforts,” Knight said. “Reducing the number of people actively using opiates, should reduce the amount of people selling opiates.”
Anyone using opiates, prescription medication or heroin, that wants help getting treatment is asked to go to the Sheriff’s Office at 3005 Anaconda Rd. in Tarboro.
Anyone wanting help or has a loved one who needs help and doesn’t want to involve law enforcement, can call Eastpointe at 800-913-6109. Anyone with questions about the CORE program, or would like to provide crime information, can call the Sheriff’s Office at 252-641-7911.
