Sheriff Dan Marx: "The opioid crisis in the country is continuing to get worse."

Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx's department has been assisting with the development of a new program to educate students about the hazards of opioids.  Marx says, "We owe it to our kids and communities to try and get ahead of this issue.  We have seen the devastating effects of this epidemic.  We can't just sit around and do nothing hoping it doesn't happen here."

Because of those sentiments, the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office is partnering with Turkey Valley School and D.A.R.E. America to develop a new program aimed at early education and prevention.

Turkey Valley 11th graders recently participated in the pilot opioid and prescription drug education program.  The Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office and Turkey Valley School were one of six test curriculum/programs in the United States.

This program was instructed by Deputy Sheriff/DARE Mentor Tim Felton and D.A.R.E. Iowa's Educational Advisor John Sheahan.  This presentation will be sent to D.A.R.E. America for further evaluation, with a finished curriculum ready for D.A.R.E. Officers at the National Conference being held in Orlando, Florida in July 2018.