Law enforcement facing three new worrying trends

Law enforcement in Crook County is facing three new – and very concerning – trends. According to Sheriff Jeff Hodge, there have been local increases in the use of fentanyl, suicide threats among the youth and the need to employ force during arrests.

“Some of the trends I think people are not aware of – and, if they’re not, they should be,” he said last week.

Fentanyl

Fentanyl, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), is a synthetic opioid up to 100 times stronger than morphine. It was developed for pain management in cancer patients but is also a growing issue as a controll...