DeKalb is seeing an increase in heroin usage, said DeKalb Police Lt. Gary Spangler.

Spangler said while there has been an increase in the sale and usage of heroin, the problem comes from overdoses; recently, there have been several deaths due to heroin overdoses in DeKalb County.

According to the DeKalb Police 2010 annual report, there were 83 controlled substance arrests in 2010, an increase of 177 percent from 2009, which saw 30 controlled substance arrests.

Spangler said while heroin is at the top of the list of drug problems in the DeKalb area, cannabis is the “biggest” drug in DeKalb because it is the cheapest and easiest to obtain.

The annual report shows 241 cannabis-related arrests in 2010, an increase of 54 percent from 2009, which saw 157 cannabis arrests.

The DeKalb Police Department said it does not record the distinction between arrests for different drug types, such as heroin.

DeKalb Police Chief Bill Feithen said drug dealers are in DeKalb because of the demand.

“In a college town, you’re going to have students selling and using drugs,” Spangler said. “There are going to be students selling because there are students who are buying.”

The DeKalb Police Department does not break down drug dealing offenses to determine which offenders are NIU students and which are DeKalb residents, Spangler said.

Spangler said while drugs come to DeKalb from many places, the majority of local dealers reside in DeKalb.

“Some have lived here for years and some may be in town for a short period of time to conduct their business and their dealer may be out of town,” Spangler said. “[Dealers] usually get their drugs from a larger city.”

NIU Police Sgt. Alan Smith said while marijuana is the most common drug on campus, the NIU Police Department has run across harder drugs like ecstasy, heroin and cocaine.

“We are aware that there are harder drugs [on campus],” Smith said. “We understand that with a student population the size of ours, there is going to be drug use.”

Feithen said the DeKalb Police Department reaches out in order to work with other agencies on drug enforcement.

“We used to have someone working full-time with the DEA [Drug Enforcement Agency] Regional Task Force,” Feithen said.

Feithen said due to the recent economic crisis, the DeKalb Police Department currently cannot afford to send personnel to work full-time with the regional task force.

“It’s an area I would like to commit more resources to,” Feithen said.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has personnel working part-time with the regional task force, and the officers involved gain a lot of experience and training in drug enforcement, Feithen said.

Smith said any student caught selling drugs will not only be arrested, but will be referred to the NIU Office of Community Standards and Student Conduct as well, making the university aware of the activity.

Feithen said in addition to enforcement, the DeKalb Police Department also supports prevention measures and counseling initiatives.

“It’s all part of the solution,” Feithen said. “If we work together as a community to stop drug use and drug dealers, DeKalb will be a better place.”