Following the Dallas City Council formally authorizing acceptance of the funds later this summer, the Dallas Police Department will launch a robust program that includes education and outreach, as well as the purchase of substance testing equipment and opioid antagonists such as NARCAN. The funds will come from the District Attorney’s confiscated assets, which are shared forfeiture funds resulting from both City and County enforcement. 

“We appreciate the District Attorney’s partnership and getting NARCAN into the hands of law enforcement who are often the first on the scene,” said Michael Igo, assistant chief of the Dallas Police Department. 

“These funds will have a real impact on our community’s response to the opioid crisis,” said John Creuzot, Dallas County District Attorney.  

The partnership between the District Attorney’s Office and the City on opioid response began after Council Members Paula Blackmon and Adam Bazaldua launched the Opioid Strike Force in November 2022. The group is aimed at aggregating resources across partners in and around the City of Dallas, and includes the Dallas Police Department, Dallas Fire-Rescue, Dallas ISD, Dallas College, and Resource Recovery Council, among others.  

“The efforts resulting from the Opioid Strike Force should serve as a model for how to advance key initiatives on behalf of the people in our community,” Blackmon said, “communication and collaboration to put resources where they are needed most.” 

Dallas police are often the first on the scene but previously were not equipped with the opioid antagonist treatment to reverse the symptoms of an overdose. In 2022, Dallas Fire-Rescue paramedics administered 1,925 doses of Narcan.  

Earlier this year, the City of Dallas launched a comprehensive bilingual fentanyl awareness campaign to educate residents about both prevention and response.  

For more information on opioid and fentanyl recovery resources, go to Dallas.gov.