Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02), the founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, is encouraged by today’s announcement by the Department of Justice to enhance law enforcement’s efforts in combating the nation’s opioid epidemic, including increased support for law enforcement agencies through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office. DOJ is announcing $7.19 million in FY2017 COPS funding through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program of which New Hampshire law enforcement will receive $688,856.

“We know that taking on the opioid epidemic requires a comprehensive approach that takes into account prevention, treatment, recovery, and of course law enforcement,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “New Hampshire law enforcement has done incredible work to both interdict illegal narcotics as well as respond to the scenes of overdoses and administer lifesaving Narcan. This funding will provide important resources to law enforcement in New Hampshire that will support efforts to stop the flow of illegal opioids and take down dealers who are fueling this crisis.”

DOJ also announced that every U.S. Attorney will designate an Opioid Coordinator by Dec. 15, 2017. These coordinators could improve the federal response to the opioid crisis by tailoring each federal district’s efforts in combating the opioid epidemic to the communities each district serves. They will also proactively engage with state, local, and tribal law enforcement in their regions to improve interdiction and response efforts.

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