SHEBOYGAN, Wis. -- Frustrated with the drug problem in Sheboygan, Wis., and tired of seeing customers dying from overdoses, Northeast Standard BP convenience-store owner Dick Hiers decided to bring awareness to the problem, reported the Sheboygan Press.
The first signs he posted read “Heroin is killing people—help wanted” and “Wake up! Your kids are dying—heroin." Hiers has posted about a dozen different signs, all of which draw attention to the issue of drug addiction and heroin use in the community.
“I’ve lost more than 30 customers to overdoses,” Hiers told the newspaper.
While the signs grabbed attention locally and spread on social media, Hiers said he was disappointed by the community's lack of response.
“A lot of people thought it was cute and took pictures of it, but no one was knocking on my door to find out why,” he said.
He is also frustrated with the police response. Hiers said the police are often too slow to respond, and he criticized them for taking a reactive approach to the problem rather than prevention. “We’ve watched deals out here on the driveway for years now, and for us to call (the police) is useless because nothing happens,” he said.
Sheboygan Police Chief Chris Domagalski said he is also frustrated by the assumption that people make that police are the only answer to the opioid epidemic and that people need to understand how important a community response is. "A successful approach involves a coordinated community effort focused on preventive efforts such as education on the dangers of drug and alcohol use and abuse and the long-term consequences," Domagalski told the paper.
Response to the signs, however, is picking up, the report said. Hiers said he is now working with Samaritan's Hand and the Christian Intervention Program, two faith-based addiction programs. Samaritan's Hand is holding a "Prayer at the Pump" on June 29.
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