DEA agent discusses drug prices and fentanyl prevalence in the Panhandle at WT event

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]

CANYON, Texas — A regional director of the Drug Enforcement Agency will be interviewed at a Criminal justice program at West Texas A&M University.

John Beasley, DEA agent in charge in Amarillo, will speak at the “Getting High? Let's Talk Drugs” event, scheduled for October 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on WT's Canyon campus.

“Agent Beasley regularly conducts trainings for law enforcement, physicians and educators to help them recognize signs of drug abuse and how to proceed in such cases,” said organizer Jeanette Arpero Bissoni, a criminal justice lecturer. “The general public would also benefit tremendously from this training, so we are excited to have him present this talk at WT. He is a passionate, informative speaker originally from our area who wants to continue working with the community on harm reduction strategies and preventing and stopping the spread of illegal drug use.”

Beasley will discuss drug proliferation rates in the Panhandle, provide resources and recommendations to reduce fentanyl death rates, and offer tips on drug identification.

Beasley began his career as a police officer with the Abilene Police Department in 1996. After attending the DEA Academy in 2006, he was assigned to posts in Eagle Pass, Kabul, Afghanistan, San Antonio and Oklahoma City before arriving in Amarillo.

Also present at the forum will be Heath Dodgen, who lost his son Kaiden Taylor Dodgen to an acute fentanyl overdose in 2020, and Cenikor, a mental health treatment center in Amarillo.

“This will be a powerful, information-packed presentation for WT students and the general public,” said Apero Bissoni. “Fentanyl is a particularly deadly drug, and more information is urgently needed in this area to prevent further deaths.”

The Criminal Justice Program is part of the Institute of Political Science and Criminal Justice in WTs Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences.

Serving the 26 major counties of the Texas Panhandle is a central principle of the university's long-range plan. WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

This plan is driven by the historic A West comprehensive fundraising campaign that reached its original goal of $125 million 18 months after its public launch in September 2021. The campaign's new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; nearly $160 million has currently been raised.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a regional research university, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus as well as at Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Founded in 1910, the university has been part of the Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, has an enrollment of more than 9,000 students and offers 58 bachelor's degree programs, one associate degree and 44 master's degree programs, including an integrated bachelor's and master's degree program, a specialized degree program and two doctoral degrees. The university is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the state's largest history museum and one of the Southwest's finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offer 14 men's and women's athletic programs.

—CERTAIN—