Delta Police have charged 21-year-old Delta resident Daniel Chesshire in connection to nine overdoses in South Delta last year.
On Aug. 31, 2016, emergency crews responded to reports of fentanyl overdoses at four separate locations within a 20 minute time span. Each of the victims had reported breathing problems, and one person was in full cardiac arrest. The DPD and the B.C. Ambulance service used Narcan on eight of the nine people found in medical distress.
The overdose victims were recreational users who believed they were ingesting cocaine.
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Police seized drugs from the scene and have been investigating the event over the past year, resulting in charges against Chesshire, who now faces two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance.
鈥淚t is vital that we continue to pursue every avenue available to us to investigate these types of incidents,鈥� said DPD Chief Neil Dubord in a press release.
鈥淪o much harm has been inflicted on so many. It is important for us to continue with public education and awareness, but we will also be tenacious in our investigative efforts as well.鈥�
The investigation took so long, Delta Police public affairs coordinator Sharlene Brooks said, because of the many 鈥渃omplexities鈥� associated with the case.
鈥淎s you can imagine, we had some difficulty with the cooperation of those involved,鈥� Brooks said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e likely embarrassed and ashamed, didn鈥檛 want everyone to know. There鈥檚 some fear involved.鈥�
鈥淲e needed to navigate this investigation carefully,鈥� she continued.
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Because of the nine overdoses, the Delta Police Department 鈥� in collaboration with the Corporation of Delta, the Delta School District and Fraser Health 鈥攑ut together a pair of public forums on the dangers of fentanyl; one in Tsawwassen on Sept. 14, 2016 and one the following day in North Delta.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 think that drug use 鈥� has increased at all. We just think the dangers of drug use have increased as a result of fentanyl,鈥� Dubord said during the North Delta forum. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 an important thing to say: We don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 an epidemic of drug use within our communities, we think that the fentanyl issue around drug use is what the epidemic is and potentially the biggest risk for our community.鈥�
The forum was partly to bring public awareness to the dangers of drug use during B.C.鈥檚 opioid crisis.
The public awareness about drug use and overdoses is something public affairs coordinator Sharlene Brooks said she didn鈥檛 expect years ago.
鈥淲ho would have thought that we as the police would be giving tips and reminders on drug use, saying don鈥檛 use alone. Start with small amounts if you鈥檙e going to use 鈥� Years ago, you wouldn鈥檛 ever hear that coming out of a police agency,鈥� Brooks said.
鈥淏ut the reality is people are going to use these illicit drugs. There is no controls on quality. It鈥檚 driven by the money of the dealers and suppliers, and they certainly don鈥檛 have any value in human life.鈥�
Delta Mayor Lois Jackson was also at the forum, and announced the start of a program that would see Delta police officers equipped with naxolone and trained in its use. The officers began carrying naxolone in November 2016.
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Chesshire is due to appear in court on Sept. 28, 2017, nearly 13 months after the initial incident.
According to Brooks, the charge is important to both this case and all drug-related incidents in Delta.
鈥淧ublic education and public awareness about the opioid crisis is critical, but we certainly can鈥檛 relent on our investigative pursuits in these incidents,鈥� she said.
鈥淲e need to continue to do enforcement and education combined. We can鈥檛 just do one or the other.鈥�
- with files from James Smith
