Unique way to fight heroin in Winnebago County

NEENAH - "Once you start using heroin, it takes over your life, it absolutely takes over your life and it will lead you into criminal activity," said Neenah Police Chief Kevin Wilkinson.

Now Fox Valley prosecutors and law enforcement officers are working together to charge heroin users with possession.

Possession now including having the drug in your system.

"He has almost died on more than one occasion, brought back from the brink of death," Wilkinson said of an area man who has overdosed on heroin nine times.

"And still is continuing to use the drug, because it is that powerful," said Wilkinson.

It's one of a number of stories about the growing heroin problem in Winnebago County.

It's why law enforcement and prosecutors are now trying something different to help protect heroin users from themselves.

"Yeah, that's really what it comes down to, we need to protect them, we need to protect their families and we need to protect society in general," said Winnebago County District Attorney Christian Gossett.

Prosecuting those who overdose can be tricky. First, that person has be saved. Officers respond to the overdose call and find evidence of heroin use. Then they can request a blood sample from the hospital to test for the presence of the drug. Gossett says so far about 20 people have been charged with possession of heroin. A conviction could lead to 3 1/2 years in prison.

"The penalties can be quite severe," said Gossett.

The program is part of a larger effort county-wide to prevent other crimes associated with heroin and other drug use.

"We will incorporate some incarceration if we need them to dry out. If we can force some sobriety and force some intervention, then that's the ideal goal because ultimately we want these people off of heroin," said Gossett.

And Wilkinson wants the community to do its part to recognize the signs and help prevent the problem from growing worse.

"If we can intervene, if we can get an arrest we might be able to, at least in some cases, intervene on somebody's addiction and hopefully get them some help and an opportunity to clean up."