WARREN, Mich. — Police will soon shift two officers to its narcotics unit to combat a growing problem with heroin trafficking, Warren Police Commissioner Jere Green said Friday.
Although Green couldn't provide specifics, he did say the two veteran officers would be tasked with bringing in heroin dealers and abusers for the next three months.
"We're going to move a couple of guys to the narcotics unit and have them work exclusively on the heroin issue," he said.
On Wednesday, Warren Mayor James Fouts asked Green to reassign two undercover police officers to focus on combating the sale and abuse of heroin.
Fouts said his office has received a number of complaints from residents about the increased trafficking of heroin.
"We need an all-out war against this fatal drug," Fouts said.
Green said the move isn't unusual.
"We do this all of the time," he said. "We take our resources and focus them on whatever the current problem is. It's a pretty simple way to combat crime."
The Warren Police Department has recorded eight deaths as a result of heroin overdoses in the city since September, officials said.
Victims ranged in age from 23-66.
Green didn't have statistics for a comparable period in 2010 readily available, but he said "it's safe to say it's an increase."
"Eight deaths from overdoses in four months is definitely out of whack," Green said. "It's not common."
Police have made 54 arrests involving heroin possession, sales and delivery in the last three months, he said.
According to a 2010 report compiled by the Macomb County Community Mental Health's Office of Substance Abuse, Warren had the highest number of deaths from heroin overdose – 37 – between 2004 and 2008.
The report also said the abuse of Opioids such as heroin "poses the greatest drug-related threat to Macomb County."
Officials say heroin's low price – about $10 for a tenth of a gram – makes it attractive to drug abusers.
The police commissioner said many abusers of opium-based prescription drugs such as OxyContin turn to heroin because it's cheaper.
Green said the department will monitor the narcotics unit's progress over the next three months.
"We'll look at the progress then," he said. "If it works, then great. If not, we'll come up with another plan."