Twenty-eight people have died of accidental drug overdoses so far this year in Porter County, putting the county on pace to have twice as many deaths as the previous year and triple the number in an average year.

Heroin, cocaine and prescription drugs continue to be the top killers, according to Porter County coroner's office statistics.

Coroner Vicki Deppe said it appears there is more drug use in the county, and that is leading to more deaths.

Porter County Drug Task Force coordinator Robert Taylor agreed, saying his undercover officers are seeing a big increase in the flow of drugs into the county.

Taylor said the county's decision to double the size of the undercover unit from four to eight people -- something that is nearing completion -- couldn't have come at a better time.

"I think we have some catch up to do," Taylor said. "We have to get organized with this extra manpower and go after it twice as hard...From what I'm hearing on national reports, it doesn't seem to be slowing down anywhere. It's not just isolated in Porter County."

Taylor said the drug task force will be not only be putting more officers on the streets, but will also be using new methods to stop drug dealing.

In addition to enforcement efforts, Taylor is a big proponent of stronger drug education in schools and treatment options like the Pathway Family Center in Chesterton. Deppe said a lot of the people who are dying in their 30s, 40s or 50s, so perhaps drug education needs to target more than just young people.

Drug deaths aren't the only things increasing in 2008 in Porter County. There have been five homicides, an increase from the average of three. Three of the homicides this year have been related to domestic disturbances and the other two have been babies who were harmed.

There have been six drownings, double the number from the previous year. Motor vehicle accident deaths have stayed about the same and suicides are down, something that is surprising because suicides often increase in bad economic times. Deppe said Northwest Indiana was slower to be affected by the failing economy, so perhaps an increase in suicides might, unfortunately, be around the corner.