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JEFFERSON CITY -- Local law enforcement agencies say heroin is the number one drug in the community.

Over the last month and a half we've told you about more than a half-dozen incidents involving heroin in the Jefferson City/Cole County-area.

Because of that, the Jefferson City Police Department held a town hall meeting to educate the public on heroin Thursday night.

Through personal stories, and education, police hope they can make a difference and save lives.

"They found Xanax, they found heroin and they found what’s known as spikes or synthetic marijuana in his blood stream,” Jefferson City High School track coach, Jim Marshall said.

Marshall knows how deadly heroin can be, his son died of an overdose in September.

“Many of his friends came over in the next two or three weeks with stories about their addiction or about how prevalent it was or about how many families were involved that they knew,” Marshall said.  “Basically from listening to them I came to a conclusion, that you either have it in your family, your friend’s family has it, or it’s in your neighborhood.  That’s how many times I heard it from kids that came over and talked to us.”

Personal stories like those from a woman who abused the drug were one way police are getting the public's attention.

“It feels good to be a part of a solution today when I use to be so good and being a part of a problem,” the woman said.

During the two hour meeting a detective talked about the trends and signs of abuse, while medical providers said there is help for those addicted.

People here hope the attention given to heroin will prevent more tragedies.

I just hope that this teaches everyone the facts of it and how to watch for it and know what it is,” resident Sandra Jones said. "And the people that did not attend this meeting, others pass the word of what to look for."

Thursday night’s meeting, sponsored by the Jefferson City Police Department, and other community groups, was the first of three.

The next one will be in the beginning of March at Solid Rock Church and the third will be in April at Lincoln University.