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Butler residents band together to fight opioid epidemic

BUTLER, Pa. — A group of stakeholders in Butler is banding together to fight the opioid epidemic that’s plaguing their community.

“I've always believed you're either part of the problem, or part of the solution,” said Cindy Parker, who is part of Butler’s Walk in Faith Outreach Ministry.

She and other stakeholders, including the mayor, city police and local churches, are working to take back their city.

“We do nothing, the problem gets worse. We don't want Butler to be a place with bars on windows and hear shots in the middle of the night,” Parker said.

Two of the group’s main focuses is drugs and overdoses.

“It's an unfortunate drain on our resources, not only trying to build a case to arrest the dealers, but now spend time responding to the overdoses,” Butler police Lt. Chad Rensel said. “It unfortunately encompasses a majority of our patrol day to day."

Rensel said officers are responding to upwards of 20,000 calls, but the police department isn’t at full staff. The mayor said he’s working to improve the force’s numbers.

Last year, more than 50 people died of an overdose, and Narcan was administered 150 times in Butler County alone.

The group in Butler isn’t just talking, they’re taking action by starting a new community watch. Each neighborhood will have a liaison in the police department, and they’re asking for help from neighbors.

“Report what you see. Write something down. Take a cellphone picture,” Parker said. “We're not advocating any kind of vigilante behavior on the streets.”