NO DEATHS; HEROIN MAY BE TAINTED

OPD Chief Reports

4 ODs In 48 Hours

Beware Of ‘Bad Batch,’ Brenner Says

By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

ONEONTA – Oneonta Police have been called to four heroin overdoses in the last 48 hours, prompting fears that a “bad batch” may be on the streets, according to Police Chief Doug Brenner.

“Each time, our officers had to use both of their Narcan kits to revive the person,” said Brenner. “That tells us that it’s a heavy overdose, possibly tainted with fentanyl.”

The first call came Saturday night, Brenner said, and officers on the scene revived the victim. Three other calls came in on Sunday, with officers reviving two of the victims and a bystander reviving a third, who had passed out on the street.

“It’s discouraging,” he said. “We had actually seen overdoses tapering off, but it seems like there’s been a resurgence.”

In 2017, Oneonta police responded to three overdoses blamed on tainted heroin, and in January 2016, a batch labeled “Diesel” was responsible for two deaths and more than a dozen overdoses.

Brenner said police are currently working to trace the source of the heroin, and have reached out to LEAF and FOR-DO in hopes of getting the word out to the community about the tainted batch.

“We’ll keep hammering at it,” he said.