Greetings,

'Keeper of the Plains' in Wichita

I am Greg Anderson, Resident Agent in Charge of the Wichita Resident Office and I’d like to welcome you to Operation Engage!

As we all know, there are far too many non-fatal and fatal drug overdoses affecting our communities, and sadly, these numbers are increasing. In response, DEA has moved toward community-level collaborative efforts to help reduce these numbers through education and awareness, using our wide range of resources.

Through Operation Engage, our division will focus on the greater Wichita, Kansas region, targeting opioids and methamphetamine misuse and abuse. Other components of Operation Engage include:

• Stakeholder/Community Gatherings: To share the latest information about drug trends, drug threats, and other related pertinent information.

• DEA’s Citizens Academy: DEA recognizes the importance of forging strong alliances with local communities and maintaining collaborative relationships with community leaders. DEA’s Citizens Academy offers participants the opportunity to understand the world of federal drug law enforcement and the important role the DEA and the community together, play in combating drug trafficking, drug abuse and related violence.

• Youth Engagement: Through programs like the DEA Educational Foundation, CADCA and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation and in collaboration with local organizations, such as the Quivera Council Boy Scouts of America, Wichita Athletic Track Club & Girls on the Run Heart of Kansas and the like, children of all ages will be able to actively participate in age-appropriate activities, designed for them to learn and gain the most knowledge about the dangers of drugs in a fun way.

• Community Outreach Programs: DEA, along with stakeholder involvement, will concentrate efforts in the communities most affected by opioid misuse and methamphetamine abuse. In those targeted communities, the Wichita Resident Office will participate in facilitating prevention strategies to include, but not limited to, drug prevention training and technical assistance for communities, coalition outreach, and prescription Drug Take Back events to name a few.

These are only a few of the many resources and opportunities we have available to share with our communities.

I invite you and your families, to explore our Operation Engage webpage to learn about the many resources we have available. Learning early on as a family, early on, is the first step in avoiding drug experimentation, drug misuse, drug addiction, and related behaviors that are plaguing our communities.

Always at your service,

Greg Anderson, DEA Wichita Resident Agent in Charge