Broken Arrow Police Department Organizing Public Forum About Danger Of Overdosing

The Broken Arrow Police Department wants to warn the community about the dangers of overdosing on drugs, which is why BAPD is partnering with Broken Arrow Public Schools to host a forum and bring more attention to the dangers of overdosing, specifically on opiates.

Sgt. Eric Nester with BAPD said that having a conversation about drug overdosing is extremely important right now with the spike in fentanyl cases all over the country, but he said that people don't talk about it because many people don't want to admit that they are struggling with addiction or that they know someone who is struggling.

"Some of it is a little bit of shame and embarrassment. Whenever it comes to addiction, in general, people do not like to admit that something may be out of their control or that they need help from an outside resource," Sgt. Nester said.

Sgt. Nester also said that it's important that the police department is partnering with Broken Arrow Public Schools because it will allow BAPD to reach a much wider base to spread the word about the dangers of opiate overdose and addiction.

"With the rise in opiate usage in the community, including the teenagers and sometimes even a little younger, it's really important to meet the kids where they are. If we don't go to the schools and we don't hold some of the forums that we do, we end up only reaching the kids who get in trouble or end up getting caught with it at the time," Sgt. Nester said.

The forum will take place on February 16 at Broken Arrow High School from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and BAPD will also have another forum at the community services expo at the Broken Arrow Stoney Creek Hotel on February 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.