MATFORCE's Youth Poster Contest is an annual event held to raise awareness among youth about the risks of drug and alcohol abuse. The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office assists in promoting this contest each year. The grand prize winning posters will be featured on MATFORCE substance abuse awareness materials throughout 2021.

Grand Prize Winners:

• Michael Chrysle, age 6, K-6th Grade
• Anastasiya Jonas, age 17, Bradshaw Mountain High School, Prescott Valley - 7th-12th Grade

Age Category Winners:

• Marley Raikowski-McBride, age 8, Camp Verde Elementary, Camp Verde – Age 7/8 Category Winner
• Alistair Richardson, Beaver Creek School, Rimrock – Age 9/10 Category Winner
• Abigail M., Bradshaw Mountain Middle School, Dewey – Age 11/12 Category Winner
• Irene Rathe, age 13, Bradshaw Mountain Middle School, Dewey – Age 13/14 Category Winner
• Tobia Loveall, age 15, Camp Verde High School, Camp Verde – Age 15/16 Category Winner
• Bryce Seekins, age 17, Camp Verde High School, Camp Verde – Age 17/18 Category Winner

Detectives from Partners Against Narcotics Trafficking (PANT) have been investigating several cases involving pills containing fentanyl that mimic common medications like aspirin and Xanax.

It is important to remember that even a small dose of fentanyl can cause the user to overdose or die and such incidents have increased in Yavapai County in recent months. The pills being found in the community have no visible indication as to their contents. Through testing, many of the pills have been confirmed to contain valeryl fentanyl, which is a fentanyl analog. Varying fentanyl analogs are often 10-100x more powerful than standard medical-grade fentanyl.

Col. Paul Aguirre shares the moment the opioid crisis struck his family

In November of 2019, the Aguirre family received the call no one wants. The 20-year-old family member they loved so much had died, in his dorm room, at ASU. Colonel Paul Aguirre shares the story of how the life of his young nephew was taken too soon. Colonel Aguirre is with the Arizona National Guard and has proudly served in the U.S. Military for more than 33 years.

Did you know that one in 30 youth ages 12 through 17 has misused over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine for its dextromethorphan (DXM) ingredient — and one in five young adults has misused a prescription drug?

Help raise awareness of the dangers of over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine and prescription (Rx) drug misuse during National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month (NMAAM) throughout October.

Find out more at PreventMedAbuse.org

MATFORCE's Youth Poster Contest is an annual event held to raise awareness among youth about the risks of drug and alcohol abuse. The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office assists in promoting this contest each year.  

The grand prize winning posters will be featured on MATFORCE substance abuse awareness materials throughout 2020.

Grand Prize Winners:

• Cameron Price, Age 12, Acorn Montessori School - K-6th Grade
• Angelina Jonas, Age 16, Bradshaw Mountain High School - 7th-12th Grade

Age Category Winners:

• Bryan Kelley, Age 9, Beaver Creek School (Rimrock) - Age 9/10 Category Winner
• Josh Chavez, Age 12, Acorn Montessori (Prescott Valley) - Age 11/12 Category Winner
• Talen Crawford, Age 14, Mountain View Prep (Cottonwood) - Age 13/14 Category Winner
• Anastasiya Jonas, Age 16, Bradshaw Mountain High School (Prescott Valley) - Age 15/16 Category Winner
• Lacey Rather, Age 17, Camp Verde High School (Camp Verde) - Age 17/18 Category Winner

Pizza Box Topper Winner:

• Jaydon Robinson, Age 14 (Chino Valley) – Pizza Box Topper Category Winner