Garfield County Sheriff’s Office

10.29.22 PRESS RELEASE – SPEAR (Special Problems Enforcement and Response), a newly established “Task Force” in Garfield County, recently seized several pills suspected of being Rainbow Fentanyl. The pills matched those pictured above, shown on a release by the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office on Monday, October 24, 2022.

Citizens are once again being reminded to watch out for Rainbow Fentanyl, an illegal drug (opioid) that has recently been released into our country in massive amounts. Investigators are being advised that local narcotics users and sellers are calling the narcotics “Skittles”.

The color, flavoring and sizing of the pill makes it appear innocuous. Logic tells us it was made to appeal to the younger members of our society, including teens and pre-teens or to appear as a harmless candy or mint if carried by a user or dealer.

With the holiday season approaching and multiple parties and gatherings taking place, you may stumble across someone using, sharing or distributing this illegal drug.

Make no mistake about it, Rainbow Fentanyl is an opioid, and while it may look harmless and appear as a treat, it is made without the strict government controls that assure proper dosage of medications, and therefore one tablet has the potential at any time of being lethal.

It is one of the jobs of law enforcement and other first responders to educate the public and make them aware of what to look for. As someone once said, “We don’t know what we don’t know.”

Help us as we battle this latest assault on our society and do not let yourself, a friend or a family member become yet another victim of the drug epidemic that is invading our country.

GCSO: Halloween precautions

Garfield County Sheriff’s Office

10.24.22 PRESS RELEASE – With Halloween less than a week away, it is good to remember a few precautions that might keep you or your child from becoming a victim.

1. While door-to-door trick or treating may be fun and exciting you are exposing yourself to the possibility of receiving “bad” treats, but also auto/pedestrian encounters that do not favor the pedestrian. The darkness of night provides opportunities for bullying and the potential for personal injury, accidental or otherwise. There is a higher probability of a personal attack at night.
   
2. Whenever possible limit your trick or treating to established venues, shopping malls, churches, organized “Trunk or Treat” venues (often organized by municipalities or civil groups), etc.
   
3. Even from these venues, do not accept or eat anything that is not “commercially wrapped”. Inspect the treats for signs of tampering. Check for unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers and throw away anything that looks suspicious.
   
4. Be aware of the introduction of drugs that may look like candy, be brightly colored and even flavored to taste like mint, pineapple, strawberry or peach, etc. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), large quantities of fentanyl have recently entered our country with just these characteristics (see photo above).
   
5. The DEA notes, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.  Just two milligrams of fentanyl, which is equal to 10-15 grains of table salt, is considered a lethal dose.  Without laboratory testing, there is no way to know how much fentanyl is concentrated in a pill or powder.
   
6. Enjoy the holiday, but be smart, be careful and be aware.