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Hartford police working to fight opioid and heroin crisis

HARTFORD — Over a 16 hour period, three people died in Hartford from suspected opioid overdoses. Deputy Chief Brian Foley with Hartford police said heroin...

HARTFORD -- Over a 16 hour period, three people died in Hartford from suspected opioid overdoses.

Deputy Chief Brian Foley with Hartford police said heroin use is hard to find.

"The problem is with heroin use, people do it behind closed doors and bathrooms of restaurants and alley ways," Foley said.

The three latest suspected opioid overdoses have Lt. Foley sounding an alarm. Hartford police stress that it's an epidemic that's difficult to track down.

On Thursday the Hartford police department held a meeting announcing new investigative efforts to help prevent other deaths, given the easy access to opioids.

"It's at a very low price the volume is high, it's actually becoming an alternative to those folks who are on pain medication or pain killers. It is the cheapest alternative to those pills," said Hartford Chief of Police, James Rovella.

Communities across the state are holding meetings about opioid addiction. Chief Rovella said residents will see more police out since heroin use is driving other types of crimes.

"It is now beginning to drive our serious assaults and our homicides, because we're now seeing guns being brought into the city in exchange for heroin," Rovella said.

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