Stamford PD, Community Partners Collaborate To Combat Drug Overdoses

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Counterfeit pills sold online and in the streets that mimic different prescription drugs can also contain fentanyl, making them even more dangerous.

“So many of the opioids come from New York, and they have to come through Stamford. You can see how stark our numbers are compared to the other large cities,” Conklin added, noting that 27 overdose deaths are still too many. “What we’re seeing in 2024, we’re seeing our numbers appear to be falling even further than that… I really attribute that to the collaborative effort between the public safety organizations here in Stamford and our first responders.”

The city has taken a multi-faceted approach to saving lives.

All first responders in Stamford carry Narcan, the medication that can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose either through a nasal spray or muscle injection.

Stamford EMS vehicles carry information on Narcan, and personnel will leave behind the medication to families who have loved ones or family members who are at risk of opioid use or addiction.

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Overdose deaths in the United States fell 16.9 percent from July 2023 to July 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced earlier this month.

The New York Times reported in September that, according to addiction experts, a wider distribution of medications like Narcan, and campaigns educating the public about counterfeit pills, among other factors, have contributed to the overall decrease in overdose deaths around the country.

The SPD is part of CT Community & Law Enforcement for Addiction Recovery (CLEAR), a multi-jurisdictional deflection program that partners behavioral health providers and law enforcement.

Conklin said the department’s own behavioral health unit will follow-up on overdose cases.

“We’re involved in a program where we monitor and follow up with both the overdose victims if it’s not a fatal overdose, and the family and encourage them into rehab and speak to them about Narcan to mitigate the dangers of fentanyl,” Conklin said.

Additionally, officers will also work with Liberation Programs, a nonprofit that provides prevention, treatment and recovery services to those impacted by substance use and mental health conditions.

Education is also an important component of Stamford’s approach, whether it’s conducting talks in the community, speaking to youth at the Stamford PAL Center, posting useful information online, or even having officers speak informally with people on the street about the dangers of opioids and other illicit drugs, according to Conklin.

Enforcement and the work of the SPD’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Squad are also critical, Conklin said.

“They follow up on fatal overdoses and we’ve made a number of arrests. They’re very difficult and lengthy investigations, but they’ve led to numerous arrests of people who have sold to victims and they’re charged accordingly, oftentimes with manslaughter for the sale that resulted in a fatal overdose.”

The Stamford Health Department also works closely with the SPD.

“It’s just a different approach the city is taking to supporting people with substance use and misuse issues. It’s more about, how can we educate people, support families, and ensure people have access to the resources they need. It all goes hand in hand with mental health support and housing support,” said Stamford Health Department Director Jody Bishop-Pullan.

Recently, the department added a new tool to the city’s toolbox when it comes to keeping tabs on public health and drug use.

Biobot Analytics, a biotechnology company headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., says it “provides wastewater epidemiology data and analysis to help governments and businesses focus on public health efforts and improve lives.”

The company launched a pilot grant program and identified Stamford as a possible partner, and the city agreed to participate, Bishop-Pullan said.

“This gives us data similar to detecting viruses in wastewater. It gives you an indication of what’s happening in the community,” Bishop-Pullan said. Stamford can test its wastewater for drugs like cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and xylazine.

“It’s not protected information, it’s just general. You can’t identify any particular person or neighborhood, but you can identify what’s going on in the city, and that together with our overdose data that gets reported, it kind of gives us a broader data picture,” Bishop-Pullan added.

The pilot began last year and ended in August, but Stamford was able to secure funding to continue the program. Bishop-Pullan said she’s waiting to get data back and she’ll share it with community partners.

Additionally, both the SPD and health department are a part of the Stamford Prevention Council, which is made up of 65 members representing 20-plus agencies in the city.

The council’s mission is to “prevent and reduce youth substance misuse through positive youth and community development.” The coalition meets bimonthly.

“I think we’re doing a good job,” Bishop-Pullan said. “This speaks to the strong partnerships we have in Stamford that we can all work together toward protecting the health and safety of our residents.”

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