At a work session the Easley Police Department described plans to use opioid recovery funds to expand prevention work in schools and the community. The city is considering an amendment to the FY 2025–26 operating budget to accept $332,300 from the South Carolina opioid recovery fund to hire two officers and purchase two vehicles for the Easley Police Department; department leaders outlined program goals and partner roles during the first reading of Ordinance 2025-13.

The program is intended to shift some effort toward demand-reduction and prevention, particularly among students from grade school through high school. The police presentation noted the funds derive from pharmaceutical company settlements and are earmarked for opioid-related prevention and response. The police representative (identified in the transcript as the chief) said the department is "one of the first cities" in South Carolina to have the police department run this type of program and described the focus as school-based prevention, distribution and collection of unused medication and non‑enforcement engagement.

The department described program components: two officers (to be assigned to prevention and outreach roles), two vehicles, medication take-back units to be deployed with partner pharmacies for later collection by the police and transfer to the DEA for destruction, and partnerships with local behavioral-health providers. The chief said about 75 percent of the program’s time will be devoted to work with students "third grade, all the way up to twelfth grade," and that they intend to use interactive mobile resources and in-school programming to change behavior and reduce demand. Officer Josh Blinky and a captain were credited with writing the grant application.

On funding, the chief said the opioid-recovery funds for Easley are partly recurring. He described current and banked amounts: the department is receiving about $436,000 this year, has roughly $1.4 million held from earlier allocations (dating to 2022), and has an additional $130,000 the city will need to accept in January for a civilian position used for non-police engagement. The chief said some of the funds could be used for capital needs that support the program — for example, an elevator at the police department required for training activities — and argued the program would reduce future city costs by preventing overdose and related harms.

The chief explained that the two positions funded through the current application are internal reassignments (two existing officers will move into the prevention roles and the department will backfill their patrol positions). He stated the civilian position will be applied for separately and that quarterly grant cycles affect timing. He also said the award must be spent according to restrictions tied to opioid prevention and that if the city does not spend prior-year funds they could revert to the state.

Council members asked whether the funds are recurring and about budgetary impact; the chief responded that the funding stream likely continues for many years (he estimated "17 to 18 years" for recurring funds in some form) and that current applicant pools for police positions are strong. Several council members praised the department for the grant application work and approach to prevention. The transcript records no final council vote on ordinance 2025-13 during the provided segments; the item appeared for first reading and discussion.