Keeping drugs out of Blount County is a top priority for Sheriff Berrong, and his track record of doing so speaks for itself. Through Sheriff Berrong’s determination and a group of dedicated investigators assigned to the Fifth Judicial Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, Sheriff Berrong continues to fight an admirable “War on Drugs.” During his time in office, Sheriff Berrong has witnessed the devastating results that illicit drugs have had on Blount County’s citizens. From the seizures by narcotics investigators of hundreds of local meth labs in the first few years of the new millennium to the newest trend of crystal meth, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl that’s being smuggled across the Mexican border and from China, investigators with the Fifth Judicial Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force have led the way and have aggressively pursued those funneling these same drugs into Blount County, capturing and getting successful prosecutions of hundreds of drug dealers.

In 2015, Sheriff Berrong launched the naloxone program, which is a known antidote for opioid overdose. Since its launch 11 years ago, the naloxone that deputies carry have helped save the lives of hundreds of Blount County citizens.

“Though overdoses in Blount County continue to decline, substance abuse accounts for the majority of crime in Blount County, and we continue to be proactive in our approach to addressing these issues because the trends are constantly changing,” Sheriff Berrong said.