Police work with families of overdose victims to target opioid dealers

FRANKLIN, Mass. — As the opioid epidemic continues to grow law enforcement officials are working on new initiatives to help stop the flow of drugs.

One resource, the Heroin Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) partners state and federal resources with local police.

Milford Police Chief Thomas O’Loughlin said he makes all of his detectives available to the task force.

"We know this particular group of people is distributing in our community so we'll go to them,” he said. "They've become better at it and more intelligent at it."

Family members of people who have died from overdoses are also helping public safety officials.

"We need to figure something out because we are losing an entire generation,” said Kathleen Errico, whose daughter Kelsey died from an opioid overdose a few weeks ago.

Police are hoping that if they can find the dealers who sold drugs to the person who overdosed, they can stop the flow of drugs.

“Cut the head off of the snake if you will and find the distribution centers,” James Derick from the SAFE Coalition said.

Cox Media Group