REMINDER: Downers Grove Police Department to Host Heroin Forum Thursday

The Downers Grove Police Department will host a community panel discussion Thursday on the growing problem of heroin abuse in the village.

Parents, educators and young adults are encouraged to attend the forum, which will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Downers Grove North High School (Purple Gym), 4436 Main St.

Speakers will include Downers Grove Police Chief Robert Porter; Kathleen Burke, Chief Executive Officer for the Robert Crown Center for Health Education; DuPage County States Attorney Robert Berlin; DuPage Metropolitan Enforcement Group (DUMEG) Director Matt Gainer; and members of the Downers Grove Police Department Tactical Unit.  

Also attending is John Roberts, co-founder of HERO, the Heroin Epidemic Relief Organization. Roberts is a Homer Glen resident and retired Chicago police captain, who lost his 19-year-old son to a heroin overdose in 2009.

The following year, he founded HERO with Brian Kirk, another Homer Glen dad who lost his son to an overdose. Together, Roberts and Kirk have organized rallies and spoken at several forums to raise awareness of the heroin epidemic in suburban Chicago.

The format for the Downers Grove program will include a brief presentation by each speaker, followed by an opportunity to respond to questions from the audience.  

Citizens may also request the National Child Safety Council “Confusions 11” booklet, a comprehensive guide to street drugs. The material is recommended for anyone that is not able to attend the forum.

To request a copy of "Confusions 11" at no cost, contact Downers Grove Public Education Manager Marion Heintz at 630-434-5606 or email mheintz@downers.us.  

Related stories:

• Downers Grove Police to Hold Public Forum on Heroin Abuse

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

There are plenty of ways to keep up on Downers Grove news:

• Sign up for our daily email newsletter

• Like us on Facebook for a slightly different take.