As most people know, there is an ever-growing opioid epidemic that is plaguing our country.  We have been fortunate that we here in Cleburne County haven’t been as affected as other places, even here in Arkansas, but it does exist and it is something that we are fighting.  Law enforcement officers are at risk every day on many fronts, but only in the last couple of years has Fentanyl been a serious safety consideration for LEOs performing their job tasks.  There have been many documented cases of officers becoming critically ill and even dying from an exposure to this dangerous drug on vehicle searches, where even just breathing it can prove fatal.  Narcan is a nasal spray, designed to combat the deadly effects of an opioid overdose, whether it be an officer who becomes accidentally exposed, or someone who illegally abuses these drugs and overdoses.  Cleburne County patrol deputies are now carrying the life-saving nasal spray, to better help protect them, and all those that live, work, and play in Cleburne County.

As your Sheriff, I want to strongly warn you of how dangerous and addictive opioids can be.  If you have a prescription for one of these drugs, it is vital that you take special care to restrict anyone else from accessing your medicines.  Most people, especially children and teenagers that begin abusing prescription drugs take it from people they know, specifically their parents and grandparents.  If you have unused prescription medicines that need to be disposed of, the Sheriff’s Office maintains a prescription drug drop off box located in the lobby of the jail that will accept the majority of prescription medications (no liquid or sharps). If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the Sheriff’s Office.

-Sheriff Chris Brown