Saratoga County Sheriff's Capt. Dan Morley runs through maps of the Capital Region almost daily, looking over trends of overdoses and substance abuse that make their way into his home county.

But to him, these are more than just colored shapes across a map.

“Every single one of these is a life. Someone mother, someone’s father, someone’s brother, someone’s sister,” Morley said. “And when you actually engage with people who survive the overdose and their families, it’s somewhat overwhelming.”

The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department has tracked overdose numbers since 2018 using mapping, and Morley says 2021 was the worst year they’ve had to date in terms of total numbers and percentage of increase.

But rather than sitting by and watching the issue continue to grow, the department has taken a hands-on approach.

“The biggest thing we do is the follow up program. We try to target the people who overdosed and get them involved with resources as quickly as we can,” Morley said.

The Second Chance overdose program is all about these officers stepping out of the office and building genuine relationships with these people by connecting them with the help they need, and giving them someone to hold them accountable.

The sheriff’s department has seen rates of repeat overdose and usage go down among the people with whom they’ve followed up.

“It’s one thing to go out there and hand someone a business card and say ‘good luck; call me if you need me.’ It’s another thing to get them in touch with someone right then and there who can assist them,” Morley said.

Among the hundreds of follow-ups Morley has made over the last four years, one stands out among the rest.

“I decided I’d follow up one last time. I figured I’d go out there and say to her, ‘hey, listen, I’ll stop bothering you if you just say you’re not interested, and we can both go on our ways,’ ” Morley said.

That final trip was the turning point for both Morley and Sandra Perryman. Even though it’s been three years since they last saw each other, the two still hit it off the minute they start talking.

Sandra battled with a drinking problem for years, turning to alcohol daily. But because of a follow-up from Morley and an offer of genuine help, she finally welcomed change.

“I tell you that it made a world’s difference in my world, because that was the last time I was an everyday drinker,” Perryman said.

Morley helped get Perryman into rehab, checked on her weekly and even took the time to reach out to her parents to calm their fears. She said Morley was more than just an accountability partner.

“He’s an awesome guy. When he’s doing this, he’s not a police officer, he’s your friend, and you can count on him,” Morley said.

The Second Chance program gave Sandra the chance to finally take back control in her life.

“To be honest, it’s just nice to have my life back, because I never thought I’d be here again. I never thought I’d be able to go a day without a drink,” Perryman said. “I never thought I would have a relationship with a police officer who’s actually a friend.”