After a 21 year old was found unresponsive in a hotel room with a heroin needle still in his arm on Monday night, the LaPorte County Sheriff's Department is saying the drug is not rare in the area.

Captain Michael Kellems says about a dozen deaths in 2014 and a dozen the year before were related to heroin.

Captain Kellems says the problem is so big, it can be referred to as an epidemic.

“It's affected our teenagers, our high school students, our adults, it knows no bounds,” says Captain Kellems.

Kellems says heroin is a “beast” that has taken the lives of too many people in LaPorte.
“One is too many,” says Captain Kellems.

A beast, a drug, whatever you call it, it's real and it's in the streets of LaPorte and easily accessible.

“The grade of heroin being passed around is very inexpensive,” says Captain Kellems.

He says he and his officers are fighting hard to take down that beast.

“I think it's a battle that could be won,” says Captain Kellems.

He says there are a number of treatment facilities in LaPorte County for heroin.

Here are a few:

Stress Center of LaPorte Hospital
1007 Lincoln Way
LaPorte, IN 46350

Frontline Foundations, Inc.
802 Wabash Avenue
Chesterton, IN 46304

John Canright Counseling
1050 Broadway
Chesterton, IN 46304