MEDIA ADVISORY-- DEA to Hold Press Conference to Announce New Strategy to Address Heroin and Prescription Drug Epidemic and Related Crime in Bernalillo County

ALBUQUERQUE – Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sean R. Waite of the DEA Albuquerque District Office will hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 17, 2017, to announce the launch of DEA’s 360 Strategy in Albuquerque, N.M. DEA’s 360 Strategy is an innovative approach to help cities deal with the heroin and prescription drug epidemic and its associated crime. Albuquerque is the seventh city selected to participate in the 360 Strategy. Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney and Executive Vice Chancellor Richard Larson of the UNM Health Sciences Center, partners in the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative, Bernalillo County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins, City Councilor Diane E. Gibson, Executive Director Jennifer Weiss-Burke of Healing Addiction in our Community, and representatives of other community stakeholders will join Assistant Special Agent in Charge Waite in making the announcement.

WHO:

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sean R. Waite, DEA Albuquerque District Office

Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney

Executive Vice Chancellor Richard Larson, UNM Health Sciences Center

Bernalillo County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins, District 3

City Councilor Diane E. Gibson, District 7

Executive Director Jennifer Weiss-Burke, Healing Addiction in our Community

Tim Sheahan, President/CEO, Boys and Girls Club of New Mexico

Susan McKee, Manager, Prevention/Intervention Counselors, Albuquerque Public Schools

Jack Ming, District Drug Awareness Chairman, New Mexico Elks Organization

Carlton Hall, Deputy Director Training & Technical Assistance, CADCA

Lt. Colonel Gabriel Vargas, New Mexico National Guard

Deputy Chief Eric Garcia, Albuquerque Police Department

Under Sheriff Greg Rees, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office

WHEN:

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2017, 11:00 A.M.

WHERE:

Boys and Girls Club of New Mexico

3333 Truman Ave. NE

Albuquerque, N.M., 87110

OPEN PRESS

NOTE: All media must present valid media credentials. Media may begin to arrive at 10:30 a.m. Inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Alyssa Ferda at 505-224-1480 or alyssa.ferda@usdoj.gov.

DEA’s 360 Strategy responds to the heroin and prescription opioid epidemic with an innovative three-pronged approach to combating heroin and opioid use through: (1) coordinated law enforcement action targeting all levels of drug trafficking organizations; (2) engaging drug manufacturers, practitioners and pharmacists to increase awareness of the opioid epidemic and encourage responsible prescribing practices throughout the medical community; and (3) community outreach and partnerships to equip and empower communities to fight the opioid epidemic. DEA first rolled out the 360 Strategy in Nov. 2015 in Pittsburgh; Albuquerque, N.M., is the seventh city selected to participate in the Strategy. Learn more about the 360 Strategy at https://www.dea.gov/prevention/360-strategy/360-strategy.shtml.

The 360 Strategy augments DEA’s active and continuing participation in the HOPE Initiative, which was launched in Jan. 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic that has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, Bernalillo County, the City of Albuquerque, Healing Addiction in our Community and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico. The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.