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Police: Man stole peppers then struck farm owner with coffee mug

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Jury: Edwards guilty on two counts, Balcacer convicted on one

<p>LARKSVILLE &#8212; Police Chief John Edwards is asking residents to join him in a proactive response to drug abuse and overdose within the borough.</p><p>Edwards said he responded to two incidents recently in which two people died as a result of an overdose and that he has seen five deaths as a result of overdoses.</p><p>He recounts witnessing the tears of parents who have made every effort to &#8220;save&#8221; their drug-addicted child, realizing that child had been lost to them forever because of addiction.</p><p>Edwards said arresting those who use drugs and bring them into the borough is certainly a part of the job for him and his officers, understanding the nature of addiction and providing access to resources is also a part of their job.</p><p>&#8220;Our job as police is to enforce laws regarding the illegal use, sales and manufacturing of drugs,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But also that we can provide a service that may help people put an end to their addiction.&#8221;</p><p>Edwards has scheduled a meeting for Oct. 25 dealing specifically with drug addiction issues and hosted by his department.</p><p>&#8220;This isn&#8217;t going to be perfect,&#8221; said Edwards, &#8220;none of us are certified addiction specialists.&#8221;</p><p>He does, however, hope to provide access to resources within the community that deal with addiction and even with the effects of addiction on families.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m asking for input from everyone,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I want to get connected with as much information as I can.&#8221;</p><p>Several incidents, Edwards said, have reinforced the need for his department to be aware of the nature of addiction and its effects on family, friends and the community in general.</p><p>He remembers one night receiving a phone call that someone had overdosed outside the borough building.</p><p>He went outside and didn&#8217;t immediately see anyone, but soon a van pulled into the parking lot with a young woman in its back seat.</p><p>Edwards said a dose of Naloxone was administered, but the woman continued to struggle to breathe.</p><p>&#8220;I told an officer to go in and get another dose,&#8221; he said &#8220;Within seconds of administering that dose, she went from blue to white and started breathing.&#8221;</p><p>Edwards said the woman returned to the police department the next day to thank him.</p><p>&#8220;Her family was working toward getting her the help she needed,&#8221; he said.</p><p>In another instance, he received a call regarding parents who wanted their son arrested for his own protection.</p><p>&#8220;They had spent all their money for treatment,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Their son had again stolen something from their home, and it was a crime and a valid arrest.&#8221;</p><p>Still, Edwards said the drug problem will not be solved by arresting users.</p><p>&#8220;At this point, I&#8217;m inviting input from everyone,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I want to have a pool of resources available to those who are struggling with addiction.&#8221;</p><p>Edwards hopes to collaborate with surrounding municipalities, with neighborhood watch groups from Larksville and Plymouth holding joint meetings.</p><p>The first of those meetings, he said, will take place Oct. 4 with Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis as guest speaker.</p><p>Those joint meetings, he said, will always have a police officer in attendance to give direction, information and support to attendees.</p><p>Edwards credits Salavantis in developing such programs as naloxone training and provision to police departments, underscoring addiction as a disease.</p><p>He is determined to move forward, not only arresting those who engage in criminal activity within the borough, but also identifying addicts and providing them opportunity for treatment.</p><p>&#8220;Doing nothing,&#8221; he said, &#8220;is not an option.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Edwards</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_edwards_john.jpg</photo0><caption0>Edwards</caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Larksville police chief seeks input from residents to help fight growing drug abuse