The protocol calls for local law enforcement to perform time-sensitive investigative techniques and preserve all evidence at the scene of an overdose death. Police also are asked to contact DEA at the early stages of an investigation, and ensure that an autopsy of the decedent is performed. The DEA and local police will then jointly investigate to determine the events leading up to the death, the source of the drug involved, and the composition of the drug. Individuals responsible for distributing drugs causing overdose deaths will be prosecuted. Continue Reading →