The Haines Public Safety Commission established itself as a “Drug Awareness Task Force” June 1 after a town hall meeting where community members, local police, health care professionals, school officials and addicts discussed drug use, addiction, and enforcement.

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker issued a statewide “declaration of disaster emergency” in February as result of a significant increase in opioid overdose deaths in the state.

Borough police chief Heath Scott in May cited four incidents over a month’s time in which Narcan was used to revive overdose patients.

Member Michael Fullerton, who raised the issue last month, said the commission needs to draw from the entire community to deal with drug addictions.

Larry Berzanske, an addict more than 30 years, spoke to the difficulty of overcoming addiction and how drugs used to ease withdraw symptoms aren’t available in Haines.

“You are not going to get an addict to come around to reality when they’re strung,” Berzanske said. “Coming off of heroin or opioids is extremely, extremely painful, mentally and physically. I don’t know anybody who’s willing to do it…you need Suboxone programs, a methadone clinic, all them kinds of programs.”

Police suggested buying a drug-sniffing dog, but chief Scott said enforcement would not solve the problem of drug use and addiction.

“Law enforcement is not the answer,” Scott said. “It’s a part of the answer. I’m going to disagree with those people that don’t think it is. I spend far more time during my day trying to keep people out of jail than put them in, and that’s the way I choose to police.”

Commission chair Jim Stanford said Narcan should be placed with all the automated external defibrillators around town. He also suggested a link to the anonymous police tip line from the school’s website.

The borough should find a way to “creatively finance” the purchase of a police dog, Stanford said.

SEARHC administrator Pat Hefley said he’s worked with abuse issues in 112 communities, and understanding the nature of addiction and finding answers to similar issues from within the community – rather than from outside – has worked.

“The community norms changed, people supported police in different ways, people became much more spiritual in many cases, elders were more involved in helping…I hope tonight is a spark that might have a little bit of flame that might build a fire that might warm up the hearts and spirit within the community,” Hefley said.

The issue bled over into a school board meeting last week. Haines school principal Rene Martin said she’d like to see volunteers speak to students.

The next public safety meeting isn’t until Aug. 31 but Stanford hopes the community stays engaged with the issue.

“We’re trying to get everybody involved,” Stanford said. “It’s too easy to say this is a police problem or a mental health problem. It’s way too easy to pass the buck on this. This is a community problem.”

Stanford said drug awareness will likely stay on the commission’s agenda.