LIMA — Sixth Ward Councilman Derry Glenn is forming a task force on what he calls a “war on heroin.”
Glenn sees the task force first focusing on prevention by educating children about the dangers of heroin.
“This is the only way we will win the war,” Glenn said. “It will take the whole community.”
After helping children, Glenn said the task force will turn to helping adults.
It is the second such task force as the Lima Police and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office already have one in place. Its task force has dedicated officers who work only on the heroin problem. It is funded by grants of more than $500,000 from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
Glenn said enough is not being done, that is why he’s creating the “Stop the Abuse of Heroin Task Force.”
“We are going to be out there and hit the road running,” Glenn said Thursday. “This is not a copycat of anyone.”
Glenn said he plans on contacting numerous people in the community including heads of agencies, schools, local law enforcement leaders and church leaders. He also will go to communities like Celina and Kenton to help with the heroin problem in those communities.
He also plans to use former heroin addicts to help educate people on the dangers of heroin. He said he plans to contact Lima School Superintendent Jill Ackerman so he and the members he recruits for the task force can go into the schools and educate children.
“There’s a lot of work to get done,” he said.
Glenn will hold a meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Mizpah Community Center at 1802 S. Central Ave., to start the process. The meeting will be to come up with idea, a plan and then act, Glenn said.
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