Giles County Stories

Kyle

I have spent 31 years of my professional career in law enforcement, and I can attest to the increase of opioids in our community. We’ve dealt with marijuana to cocaine, but we are now really seeing the adverse repercussions from those who have abused prescription pain medicine.

Opioid addiction is not at all discriminatory. It doesn’t matter if you live below the poverty level or are a member of high society. It can happen to anyone.

I, and many of my deputies, have had to learn to adapt to seeing people we knew from our childhood now incarcerated due to drug-related charges. Naturally, we take it personally. We want to help them and all of our community members, but it is definitely difficult at times.

Many will go from one healthcare provider to the next shopping for their next prescription because we know once they start taking them they are hooked for life. Some of the men and women in our facilities have been arrested for burglary and even murder all because of prescription pain pills and meth.

It is heartbreaking to see the children who observed their loved ones abusing drugs and then follow suit. The behavior of children is changing all because of their parents’ previous addiction. I receive calls from parents all the time who ask us to help their child. We know if they leave their current environment where they are abusing drugs, they may just have an opportunity to live a long, healthy life without having to come through our doors again.