Opioid Settlement Grants Funnel Nearly $600,000 to Local Police and Community Programs

Will County Finance Committee Meeting | March 3, 2026

Article Summary: Will County is distributing a significant portion of its opioid settlement funds to hyper-local agencies, including the Peotone and Manhattan police departments, to fund life-saving training, data software, and community surveillance systems.

Will County Opioid Program Key Points:

• The Will County Opioid Program (WCOP) has awarded seven grants totaling $596,000 for fiscal year 2025.

• The Manhattan Police Department was awarded $47,529 to purchase a new Flock Investigative Platform and train officers on local outreach.

• The Peotone Police Department’s grant funds Narcan administration training and the purchase of three Flock Security System cameras along Interstate 57.

• Plainfield Township will receive $14,297 to host a youth-focused Opioid Awareness and Narcan Distribution Conference.

The Will County Board Finance Committee on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, reviewed the ongoing distribution of the Will County Opioid Program (WCOP) grants, which are placing settlement dollars directly into the hands of local municipalities and townships fighting the epidemic on the front lines.

The county expects to receive approximately $7 million annually from national opioid settlements. For the current grant cycle, the county established a competitive application process allowing organizations to request up to $250,000. To date, seven grants have been awarded with total obligations of $596,000.

According to Grants staff, 57% of those funds have already been spent or reimbursed, signaling that local agencies were ready to deploy the funds immediately.

Hyper-local municipal police departments are leveraging the funds for a mix of direct medical intervention and broader technological surveillance.

The Village of Manhattan Police Department was awarded $47,529. The funds have already allowed the department to conduct a mandatory, department-wide Narcan training in conjunction with the Will County Health Department. Furthermore, the grant is funding the purchase and implementation of a new Flock Investigative Platform, alongside officer training to facilitate local referrals and peer support follow-up outreach.

In the Village of Peotone, the Police Department is utilizing its WCOP grant for hands-on naloxone administration training and community education on recognizing the signs of an overdose. However, a significant portion of the Peotone grant is dedicated to purchasing and installing three Flock Security System cameras along the I-57 corridor. The grant also covers the associated overtime training expenses and community training materials.

Townships are also stepping up their prevention efforts. Plainfield Township was awarded $14,297 to host an Opioid Awareness and Narcan Distribution Conference aimed at middle and high school students (ages 11-18). The one-day event, in partnership with Plainfield School District 202, will feature interactive workshops covering the dangers of opioid misuse, peer pressure resistance, and mental wellness.

The Wilmington Coalition for a Healthy Community was awarded an extensive $108,438 grant. Their programming specifically targets older adults (ages 60 and up) in the 60481 zip code, training them to keep unwanted medications from being diverted, recognizing signs of misuse, and responding to potential overdoses.

“These are projects that are ready to get off the ground,” Samantha Marcum told the committee, highlighting the swift deployment of the settlement funds to the local level.