Bartlesville Police Holds Meeting To Discuss Drugs In Community

The Bartlesville Police Department is developing new ways to address drug problems in its community.

“In a community our size, of about 36,00 people, you would be surprised at the amount of drugs are here in this community," said Captain Jay Hastings, Bartlesville Police Department.

Police said those drugs have recently caused at least four deadly overdoses.

“I mean that’s a tragic scene, it’s a tragic scene for the families, and we really need to stop it," said Captain Hastings.

Hastings said officers don’t know everything that’s going on. He said to solve this issue, they need the community's help.

“I know drug dealers have family members. I know that drug users have family members. There’s people out there that care about these people. And that’s – you know we’re appealing to them to help us stop this," said Hastings.

Thursday night, officers showed what drugs look like, the street names, and how to tell the difference between drugs that may be laced with a more dangerous compound like fentanyl.

Police also shared how to identify what drug use may look like, and the signs and symptoms of an overdose.

“It is a personal thing for our family because we’ve been touched by this uh, fentanyl epidemic," said Evelyn Kennedy, Bartlesville resident.

Kennedy urges to get involved to prevent tragedies. “Don’t be afraid to learn about it and to watch – know what to watch for," said Kennedy.

The Bartlesville Police Department is hosting another event about fentanyl deaths next month.