Information-sharing tool will help law enforcement, public health officials in the fight against the opioid epidemic
Harrisburg, PA – Wolf Administration officials held a press conference today to unveil the latest effort to combat the opioid epidemic in response to the disaster declaration Governor Tom Wolf declared on January 10.
Captain Troy Hyman, director of the intelligence division of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and Ray Barishansky, deputy secretary for planning and assessment with the Department of Health and incident commander for the Opioid Operational Command Center, were joined by other law enforcement and human services officials on Monday at Pennsylvania State Police Department Headquarters to unveil the commonwealth’s newest tool in the battle against the opioid epidemic.
The Pennsylvania Overdose Information Network (ODIN) is a centralized repository to track overdoses, naloxone administrations, and investigative drug information that may be used by police, public safety, and healthcare professionals to better track and share all types of information related to opioid abuse in their communities.
“For law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, ODIN provides crucial data about overdoses, heroin seizures, locations of opioid-related incidents, and other critical information to aid in the apprehension of offenders who bring illegal drugs into our communities,” said Governor Wolf. “This technology allows law enforcement to streamline real-time data sharing so actionable information does not slip through the cracks.”
“ODIN has far-reaching capabilities to help health officials decide where to best allocate resources,” Captain Troy Hyman said. “The Pennsylvania State Police is pleased to be able to champion this effort for all law enforcement in the commonwealth to win this ongoing battle.”
“When it comes to addressing a multi-faceted public health crisis like the opioid crisis, the availability of accurate and updated information is critical,” said Deputy Secretary Barishansky.
“ODIN is an important step forward toward a new level of collaboration among health and public safety professionals.”
ODIN was made possible through a collaboration between the Pennsylvania State Police and the Liberty Mid-Atlantic HIDTA and is available to all law enforcement agencies in the commonwealth. For agencies who are unable to enter their own information, county 911 centers have the capability to enter relevant data.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
J.J. Abbott, 717-783-1116
Ryan Tarkowski (PSP), 717-783-5556
Nate Wardle (DOH), 717-787-1783
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