Crime & Safety
Sheriff: Heroin Use on the Rise in Kane County
Community meeting held April 16 at Christ Community Church highlights growing problem. And Geneva, Batavia and St. Charles are at the core of heroin use in Kane County.
It's no secret that heroin use has been on the rise in Kane County and in the Chicago region. Law enforcement officers have made multiple arrests for the drug over the past year.
However, law enforcement officials are realizing it's not just a drug of the inner city, but a growing problem in the suburbs and especially among young people.
On Monday night, Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez and Undersheriff David Wagner along with Lea Minalga from Hearts of Hope a parental support group based in Geneva and other community members presented the "Parents: You Matter" education program at Christ Community Church.
Find out what's happening in Genevawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
This program brings together a wide range of presenters from law enforcement, prevention and treatment professionals to educators and healthcare professionals and is designed to help parents understand, prevent and address drug and alcohol issues.
The stories told there were compelling and reported in several media.
Find out what's happening in Genevawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Beacon-News' Denise Crosby describes the 31-year-old Carrie Brummel's painful journey through heroin addiction. The Batavia resident made a promise to her dying father that she would set her life straight. She did.
Perez told CBS-2 that he's disappointed more people aren't showing up for the forums. He told CBS that Geneva, Batavia and St. Charles are the biggest heroin use areas in Kane County.
"These drug topics are relatively new, but no less important than talking to your kids about the use of alcohol. Many parents do not understand the scope of the problem or how to talk to their kids about it," Perez said in a press release announcement.
