Never has Baileyville Police Chief Bob Fitzsimmons felt such a pressing need for community members all over Washington County to get involved in helping to battle the escalating heroin and substance abuse problems the county is facing. He grew up in his hometown and has spent 17 years of his career in law enforcement. "I can't think of a family in Baileyville who hasn't been affected by this one way or another," he says. Speaking as a panelist on the evening of May 2 at Calais High School during one of three opioid and heroin community forums held in the county, he added, "I grew up with a generation that has been lost to pills. I don't want their kids to get addicted, too."
     Substance abuse in Maine, and in Washington County in particular, has been the subject of intense public discussions over the past few months. Whether at an organized meeting like the one held in early April by Roque Bluffs resident Brian Frutchey that drew about 400 residents during the first warm and sunny day of the spring season or on social media bulletin board discussions, community can make a difference. "Look at MADD," said Chief Deputy Mike Crabtree of the Washington County Sheriff's Department during a panel discussion. "Now we have tough drunk driving laws." He and Fitzsimmons suggested that when enough people stand up, are not cowed by the fear of retaliation and understand that this is way beyond caring about being a "snitch," things can change.
     The influx of inexpensive heroin as the replacement of choice for addictions often started with prescription pills is alarming residents, educators, law enforcement agents and social service and healthcare professionals. "It is very difficult to stop supply," explained Crabtree. "But if demand goes down, the supply withers." The heroin supply is coming from states just south of the Maine border. The market in Washington County is considered lucrative, with bags of heroin that would sell in Connecticut for $3 to $5 going for 10 times that in Downeast Maine. The dealing and using dynamic has changed. The out‑of‑state dealer and agents come to the region to sell. They are not users themselves and are only interested in the money to be made. Fitzsimmons remarked that they will visit someone in the area, hole up in the house and have other people do the distribution.
     The dealing patterns developing with the heroin influx make it harder to catch the criminals. "Everybody is seeing that this is killing people," said Crabtree. And while law enforcement is just the spear tip of the substance abuse equation of education, prevention and treatment, Fitzsimmons and Crabtree explained that fixing the addiction piece is critical, otherwise they'll just keep "catching" people and putting them back in jail. However, as Brian Frutchey noted during the panel discussion, "I feel it's really important that the community helps." He gave as an example that when enough people in a community talked vocally through a number of different forums about a known drug dealer, the dealer up and moved. While that doesn't solve the long‑term problem, it was an example of community members acting and building enough pressure to create change.
     Developing enough probable cause evidence to attain a search warrant is something that the general public can find frustrating, but as Fitzsimmons explained, if the evidence is incomplete the case could get thrown out of court, and he is a firm believer in the importance of the law. Breaking down someone's door without due process is not where he wants to go. The public is critical to law enforcement success, said Crabtree. Neither officer recommends confronting a substance abuser or dealer; instead they suggest calling with information, the more specific the better. Just saying that someone is a drug dealer or user isn't necessarily going to help, they noted. But if more than one person calls with specific details about the number of people or vehicles visiting a residence for a specific amount of time, it might be the missing piece to a puzzle that has been assembled in the police or sheriff department's office.
     Treatment and prevention are just as important to address, with law enforcement officials recently meeting with area service providers to discuss how treatment could take place at the county jail and how services can help with transitions, a weak link that recovering addicts often break through. Fitzsimmons said, "My attitude about addiction has changed a lot over the last 16 years. I understand it better now." Crabtree commented, "Addiction is a symptom of something greater going on, a greater problem. It's an emotional filler." Unfortunately, for the addict, treatment is always the last option. Prevention through education is just as pressing a need for the younger generations. Creating engaging educational and support networks for area youth would go a long way to helping, suggested one panelist during the wrap‑up session.
     The May 2 forum in Calais had about 80 people in attendance. After breaking out into three sessions -- treatment, prevention and law enforcement -- participants learned from panelists and asked questions that were then gathered and reviewed for incorporation into recommendations made to federal, state and local representatives by the Maine Opioid Collaborative Task Force. Partners with the collaborative are Healthy Acadia, Wabanaki Public Health, Maine Medical Association, Maine Community Foundation and the Maine Health Access Foundation.