LIBERTY -— Village of Liberty Police Chief Steven D’Agata recently reported that there has been a significant decrease in illegal substance use-related fatal and non-fatal overdoses as compared to previous years.

According to D’Agata, the number of non-fatal overdose cases in 2023 are 30 percent lower as compared to data from 2022. 

Additionally, when discussing the percentage of overdoses resulting in fatalities, D’Agata said that 2023 was at a 56 percent decrease of the fatalities in 2022. 

“These numbers are promising, but I would like to see overdoses decline,” said D’Agata.

However, D’Agata stressed that these are preliminary numbers as a number of toxicology reports remain unreleased. 

The Police Chief attributed the decrease in numbers to the ongoing efforts of his department and the Sullivan County Substance Use Task Force.