When authorities receive an emergency drug-related call, one might expect to see medics and not necessarily police officers, but that is changing in Baltimore City.

Treating overdose investigations as crime scenes is the new tactic that the Baltimore Police Department is using in an effort to help stem the staggering number of overdose deaths in the city.

The point is to cut off the drug supply and distribution. As part of the plan, patrol officers will be the first point of contact to gather information at the scene of an overdose from witnesses or family members who, ideally, would trace back to a dealer.

"We're trying to identify and track individuals that are supplying on the streets of Baltimore, and then build criminal cases against them regarding overdoses, particularly overdose death investigations," Baltimore police Deputy Commissioner Dean Palmere said.

The patrol officers will report to a task force consisting of a sergeant and four detectives working out of the homicide unit. The officers are working in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

"My only concern is that we have a high number of homicides in the city, and I would rather them be focused solely on the homicides, but we have to look at things in unique ways and also be able to trace back because people are being killed by this stuff," Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott said.

According to the Baltimore City Health Department, there were more than 600 people who died from an overdose in Baltimore City last year, which is almost double the number of homicides.

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Mosquitos are back!

Here in Maryland, the blood sucking pests start breeding in March, and with those itchy bites come the threat of more serious infections like Zika.

"It is very important that people know that Zika is still a global public health emergency,” said Baltimore City Health Commissioner, Dr. Leana Wen.  “And the main danger is for pregnant women because of the association with severe birth defects in the unborn child."

The virus is linked to babies being born with abnormally small heads and brains, a condition called microcephaly.

Since 2015 there have been 5,264 cases of Zika in the United States.  This year, 19 people have already contracted the illness here in Maryland.

The bugs might not be biting in your backyard yet, but with warm and wet weather in the forecast, Baltimore leaders say now is the time to take precautions.

"The best way for us to prevent mosquitos from breeding is to get rid of standing water,” Wen said.  “Even something as small as a bottle cap can be the breeding ground for mosquitos, so look in your yard and dump flower pots, dump Tupperware containers, cover your trashcans, just get rid of any area of standing water."

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On this day, law enforcement strongly encourages residents to turn in unused, unwanted or expired medications to one of several drug disposal locations where law enforcement officials will gather and safely dispose of these medications.

Nationally, the Drug Enforcement Agency and its partners collected over 366 tons of prescription drugs at almost 5,200 sites last year.

Baltimore's Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen said the event is about saving lives. The misuse of opioids kills 44 people a day, which is more than suicide, homicide and car accidents.

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Dr. Leana Wen discusses Mayor's Spring Clean Up, Zika, and National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

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