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Photo: Pigeon’s nest of needles a chilling portrait of Vancouver’s opioid crisis

The Vancouver PD shared the “not staged” photo taken by its homeless outreach coordinator

By Police1 Staff

VANCOUVER — A photo shared by the Vancouver Police Department is a chilling reminder of the severity of the opioid crisis plaguing many North American cities.

According to Q13 Fox, the PD’s homeless outreach coordinator snapped the photo of three pigeon eggs resting on top of a pile of needles during an inspection. The department shared it to call attention to the seriousness of the crisis and the need for expanded treatment options for addicts.

“Sad reality of the #opioidcrisis #fentanyl #frontline #notstaged,” Superintendent Michelle Davey tweeted.

https://twitter.com/VPDSuperDavey/status/859855254287810560

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson previously tweeted that fatal overdoses in the city were at “horrific levels,” according to the report.

Vancouver Police spokesperson Randy Fincham told VICE that pigeons using needles for nests is a common site around the part of the city where the photo was taken.