INDIANAPOLIS On Monday, students at Arsenal Tech High School were part of an effort to spur change and save lives.They were finalists in the design competition for the first logo for the Indianapolis Overdose Death Task Force. It is a group that cracks down on drug dealers.17-year-old Jesus Vasquez was the chosen designer. "I wanted it to be like a safe, powerful message about fighting for justice," said Vasquez. He said the torch of liberty represents what the task force is fighting for. The purple ribbon is for overdose prevention. 2024 is for the year the task force was established and Indy's skyline. "While also including the stars of the states that come before Indianapolis and the white star in the center to represent Indianapolis," he said. "It means a lot to me, just being able to do something that will go on and just be there."The task force is proud of all three finalists and considers them all winners. The group that picked the logo included IMPD Chief Chris Bailey, Assistant Chief Michael Wolley, Deputy Chief Kendale Adams, Marion County Coroner Alfarena McGinty, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Gannon and Susan Fox. Fox's son, Nathan May, died from fentanyl poisoning. "It was surreal. If someone told me that I would be sitting in a room with these people four and a half years ago, I wouldn't have believed it," said Fox. "It feels good to know, to see something being done, and to see students being involved because the awareness is important." She's thankful more people are learning of the impact drug usage and deaths have on loved ones. "We have one student that's been impacted by it. I'm thankful that the other students learned about the impact of fentanyl so that they can go to their friends and have these conversations," said Adams. "We miss the youth that are impacted by the deaths that are occurring among their peers, family members, parents. That's something that we really need to continue to touch upon," said McGinty. "I hope that this is just the first step to have the youth engaged so that they can continue to share information about this poison on our streets." Overdose deaths have been the leading cause of death in Marion County for years.In 2018, Dealing Resulting in Death became a new law, but it was rarely prosecuted. "We just filed a case on Friday, and another one filing today, so we're right around 20 cases, but there are many more families in our community that have been impacted by this who have no closure," said Adams. "We hear you, we see you, and we really are trying to do everything we can within our power to forward these cases." "I'm just proud to be able to be in this overdose task force because we want to make our community a safer, better place. People aren't signing up to use drugs one time, laced with fentanyl and die, so they need to be held accountable," said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Gannon. The logo is a symbol, a step forward, and a promise to families that dealing resulting in death matters.McGinty said overdose deaths were down by 20% last year.She credits that with the use of Narcan and the awareness being spread to kids and community members. ...read more read less