La PORTE — A protocol for treating heroin deaths as possible homicides is under development by area law enforcement agencies, and those working on it are expressing hopes it might curb the number of overdose deaths in the county.

According to La Porte County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Szilagyi, the protocol is being developed to help area agencies find and punish heroin dealers.

He said the idea is to change procedures so rescue workers responding to a deadly overdose scene contact the jurisdictional police agency first, not the coroner's office. This way the agency can investigate the scene before the body is removed or evidence is tainted. Once the scene has been established, the police agency can then contact the coroner so the proper pictures and tests can be done.

He said his office is working on the protocol along with the La Porte County Sheriff's Department, both Michigan City and La Porte police departments, the La Porte County Coroner's Office, the Indiana State Police, the U.S. Attorney and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

He noted that the inclusion of the U.S. Attorney and DEA is important because these agencies can help the county prosecute those individuals ordinarily out of its reach.

"If we can't charge someone associated with an overdose death, the feds may be able to do it," he said.

And the person can face charges stemming from both state and federal statutes, especially if the supplier is from another county or state.

La Porte County Sheriff Michael Mollenhauer said these added tools can help his agency battle dealers.

"It's not that these deaths aren't investigated," he said. "We want to make sure we pursue every possible avenue to see who's supplying and hopefully make that person responsible, and getting enough evidence and taking that person to trial And I'm definitely in favor of that. One death is too many."

La Porte County Coroner John Sullivan said about a dozen heroin overdose related deaths occurred in La Porte County in 2013. He said he is unfamiliar with the specifics of the protocol, but is fine with treating a deadly overdose site as a crime scene.

He noted that either way the body cannot be moved or touched without the coroner being present.

"If it helps the heroin problem, I'm all for it," he said.

Szilagyi said his department will come up with a draft of the protocol first, then get input from each agency before coming up with a finalized version.
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