Sioux Falls leaders and parents who have lost loved ones to fentanyl are calling attention to the drug’s risks ahead of National Fentanyl Awareness Day on May 9. Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead drew attention to Operation Last Mile, a one-year DEA investigation that resulted in 3,337 arrests, seizure of 44 million fentanyl pills, 6,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, over 91,000 pounds of methamphetamine, and 8,497 firearms. Despite the downward trend in drug-related deaths, Sheriff Milstead and others point out that the number of overdose deaths is still alarming. Angela Kennecke, founder of Emily’s Hope, a nonprofit working to end the overdose epidemic, says education, prevention, and awareness are critical in addressing the issue.