JEFFERSON CITY -- Heroin addiction and overdoses have become an epidemic in the Cole County-Jefferson City area.

As a result Jefferson City officials will hold a town hall meeting for residents Thursday evening.

A meeting officials say is vital for the community.

Its not even a month and a half into 2012 and KRCG has already reported on more than half a dozen incidents involving heroin in the Cole County area.

On January 5th officers arrested 24-year-old Douglas Smith for distributing heroin after the man he supplied to suffered an overdosed.

Just three days later, a 35-year-old man overdosed on heroin in the 2300 block of Grey Fox Terrace. Crews took him to an area hospital where doctors stabilized him.

On January 20th, Cole County deputies arrested three men in connection with a burglary investigation that also turned up a large amount of heroin. Officers found about 100 individually packaged doses. The heroin had an estimated street value of $2,500.

With all this in mind, police want the public to know just how dangerous and prevalent heroin is in the Capitol City community.

That's why they're holding a two-hour public meeting Thursday night at 6:30 at the Assembly of God Church on Highway C.

Law enforcement officials, doctors, treatment providers, and people who have been directly impacted by heroin will speak at the event.

Residents can expect to learn about local trends and signs of abuse along with the health effects of the deadly drug.

The event is sponsored by the Jefferson City Police Department.

Representatives from Preferred Family Healthcare, Family Counseling Center of Missouri and Pathways will also be there.

The Cole County Health Department, Council for Drug Free Youth, National Guard Counter Drug Program, ACT Missouri, Cole County Sheriff's Department, Crime Stoppers, Lincoln University Police Department and 659-TIPS are community partners for the H.O.P.E. Campaign, Heroin Overdose Prevention and Education.