Rolla police see spike in heroin overdoses

Rolla police said Friday a new batch of heroin may have caused a deadly spike in overdoses in the city.

According to a post on the department’s Facebook page, police responded to six heroin overdoses and one heroin overdose death in a 24-hour period last week.

Chief Mark Kearse wrote that the department typically saw 200 heroin overdoses each year in its jurisdiction, but last week was abnormally high.

“It is estimated that drugs cause 70 percent of the crime in our area,” Chief Kearse wrote. “We have had murders, attempted murders, hits (hit men coming from our of state due to drug issues) of course burglary, stealing, loss of family trust, people that can not hold down jobs, raise their kids, handle any normal responsibility, car accidents and fatalities, as well as a long list of other negatives due to drug use.”

Kearse added that a new batch of heroin, possibly more potent than usual, may have been to blame for the spike in overdoses.