LATEST FROM ABC15's NICK CILETTI:
PHOENIX — It's hard enough to talk to our teens about everyday things, but there is a conversation you may have been avoiding that you can't afford to ignore anymore.
"My mom was a cop, and I grew up around cops," explains Erica Bell."I always wanted to serve the community, so I ended up here." For close to two decades, Bell has been working inside Phoenix Police Department's crime labs as one of the department's most experienced forensic scientists."A lot of what I tested was marijuana - now, I don't hardly ever test marijuana," Bell said."Fentanyl wasn't even in the picture except for fentanyl patches or injectables from the hospitals. Now, that's the story of our lives.
According to Phoenix police, the department processed roughly 5,800 cases involving fentanyl in 2022.And this year, they're on track to shatter that record, predicting a total of 7,000-8,000 cases involving fentanyl.
Nigeria Latest News, Nigeria Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Growing fentanyl issue remains a concern for Phoenix policeLATEST FROM ABC15's NICK CILETTI:
Read more »
Arizona Girl Scouts get up-close look at forensicsLATEST FROM ABC15's NICK CILETTI:
Read more »
Celebrating native communities on Indigenous Peoples DayLATEST FROM ABC15's NICK CILETTI:
Read more »
Caring Contacts creates support system for teens dealing with mental health crisesNohelani Graf is an Emmy Award-winning reporter and anchors ABC15 Weekend Mornings.
Read more »
MOST ACCURATE FORECAST: More triple-digit heat, rain and thunderstorms in Arizona todayIris Hermosillo is the weekday meteorologist on ABC15 Mornings.
Read more »
Run club takes on 5k to honor brave classmate battling cancerCameron Polom is an award-winning multimedia journalist who joined ABC15 in July 2017.
Read more »