ICE HSI, ENTERCOM partner to produce opioid awareness PSA
On Thursday, Dec. 7, a series of public services announcements (PSA) aimed at raising awareness about opioids were launched throughout upstate New York.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) partnered with local radio group Entercom Rochester and its ongoing “War on Addiction” campaign. HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Kevin Kelly recorded two separate 30-second agency opioid PSAs that will run on six Rochester-area stations and one Buffalo area station for the next several months. The PSA campaign will educate the public about the agency’s efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
“Our message is twofold. One, we want to arrest the organizations, TCOs (transnational criminal organizations) or whoever is moving this product into our communities. We can’t do it alone and if you have information, give it to us,” Kelly said. “Our second message is to drive home the fact that opioids are a clear and present danger to society.”
Chief among HSI’s mission areas is the investigation, disruption and dismantling of TCOs that illicitly introduce fentanyl, heroin and other dangerous opioids into the United States, and gravely impact the health and safety of our communities.
No community in America is exempt. The crisis has become so serious that, in October, President Donald J. Trump declared it a public health emergency and implemented of the White House Comprehensive Opioid Response Initiative.
According to Kelly and HSI Syracuse Resident Agent in Charge Jake Healey, HSI personnel in the Buffalo area of responsibility (AOR) are vested in the community. However, they can’t arrest the problem away. There has to be an outreach from law enforcement, community and the manufacturers. Everybody needs to be involved.
“If you go to any HSI SAC office, they would say ‘we have a heroin/fentanyl problem.’ I don’t think it’s germane to my AOR, I think it’s a nationwide issue,” Kelly said. “A PSA for us is community outreach, letting them know we are there to help and we’re there working on these cases.”
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. According to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) estimates, one kilogram of fentanyl can produce 1 million to 1.5 million pill dosage units. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that more than 20,000 Americans were killed by fentanyl and fentanyl analogues in 2016, and that number continues to rise.
“The community is starting to get involved, aware and upset with it. The radio stations were thankful that we were doing it,” Kelly said. “Anytime we can get out and bridge the gap with the private sector and our partners in media and our partners in non-law enforcement entities, I think it’s great.”
Updated: