Toomey, law enforcement discuss drug crisis
Senator hears about local struggles fighting opioid epidemic, overdoses
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By Kay Stephens
kstephens@altoonamirror.com
HOLLIDAYSBURG -- U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said Friday that he always learns something new when meeting with local law enforcement officers.
At the Blair County Courthouse, where he talked with local law enforcement officers, the senator said he learned that neither police nor prosecutors have access to the state's prescription drug monitoring system.
"I think that information or at least some subset of that information should be available to district attorneys across the commonwealth," Toomey said. "There are doctors who abuse their licenses and who are systematically feeding addictions by writing prescriptions for that purpose."
Blair County First Assistant District Attorney Pete Weeks said the staff in his office cannot access the database. So it turns to the state Attorney General's Office, which has access, Weeks said.
State and local police officers also reported having no access to the database launched in January that compiles information reported by prescribers through the state Department of Health's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.
"I really think that the volume of prescriptions is a significant contributing factor in the opioid crisis," Toomey said. "And while there has been progress in a sense that, across Pennsylvania, including Blair County, the volume of prescriptions has come down. But nationally, even at this lower level, it's still five times higher than it was in 1992."
Toomey also asked officers about their use of naloxone to address opioid overdoses.
It's more common with police departments in the central and northern portions of Blair County but not in the southern portion.
Freedom Township Police Chief Terry Dellinger said he and his officers don't carry it and instead rely on local emergency medical responders.
The safety risk is too great for officers in small departments, Dellinger said.
State Police Lt. Brad Hershey of Troop G, Hollidaysburg, also advised Toomey that officers who do carry naloxone are dealing repeatedly with the same individuals.
While they may have been criminally charged and sentenced to probation in the past, that option was eliminated through legislative decriminalization in cases of a reported overdose.
"We can't even put these people in treatment now," Weeks said.
And if someone revived with naloxone refuses to go to a hospital, an officer must leave that person with an additional dose of naloxone, Hollidaysburg Police Chief Rodney Estep said.
"We understand that we want to save lives … but we're enabling them," Estep said.
Police officers also asked Toomey to consider measures that will provide local governments with more money to counter illegal drug use.
Prosecuting someone on a charge of drug delivery resulting in death requires an autopsy, "but we don't have funding for autopsies," Weeks said.
Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglio said he appreciated Toomey's stop and his willingness to listen.
"We can use the help from every government agency throughout the state and Washington," Consiglio said.
U.S. Attorney Scott Brady of the state's Western District, who also attended the session, said his office has two major focuses: combating violent crime and disrupting drug trafficking. He said it has indicted 13 medical providers, which has made a difference.
"The doctors in western Pennsylvania … they're sitting up a little straighter," Brady said.
In recent years, Toomey has organized many roundtable conversations with law enforcement officers.
Friday's event coincided with the end of National Police Week, established in 1962 as recognition for law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.