The Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, in partnership with the Wisconsin National Guard Counterdrug Program, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, is pleased to announce the Overdose Death Initiative (ODI). ODI was created in May 2024 and became an official High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) initiative in April 2025. ODI’s mission is to diligently investigate opioid overdoses and deaths, aiming to identify and apprehend the individuals directly responsible for the distribution of opioids that lead to fatalities. ODI has been piloted in southeastern Wisconsin, and ODI investigators have assisted 16 local and county jurisdictions with their overdose cases. The support ODI provides includes state and federal resources, analysts, equipment, investigative experience, investigative funds, help working with prosecutors, and legal process support.