KEWAUNEE, WI (WTAQ) — Inmates leaving the Kewaunee County Jail are getting something more than their clothes and mail when they head back into the world.
Jail staff will be offering at-risk released inmates Narcan, a nasal-spray drug used to counteract opioid overdoses. Sheriff Matt Joski says the first few weeks after release from jail are often the most unstable in an addicts life.
“What we try to do is law enforcement is to prevent the use of, the sale of, the distribution of drugs and narcotics,” Joski told WTAQ. “But we also have to look at the humanistic side of it. If we can prevent a death, we want to play a role in that.”
Joski hopes that the addicts survive to get the help they need.
“There is rehabilitation. There is hope for these people,” said Joski. “If these people survive to get the treatment they need, it’s a win-win for everyone.”
The department will carry a limited amount of Narcan that will be occasionally be restocked. The program is put on by the Badger State Sheriff’s Association and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
