All front-line provincial police officers in Ontario to carry naloxone
TORONTO — Calling opioids an “ongoing concern” in all parts of the province, Ontario’s provincial police said Friday it would equip all front-line officers with naloxone kits to protect them from potential exposure to fentanyl.
Each officer will be issued a kit with two doses of naloxone nasal spray while on duty, while members of selected specialized units — such as drug enforcement and community street crime units — will carry a personal kit all the time, Ontario Provincial Police said.
The OPP is not the first police force in the province to issue naloxone to front-line officers — Peterborough, Barrie, and Durham Region officers are among those already equipped with the opioid antidote that can reverse an overdose for approximately 20 minutes to one hour, depending on the strength of the opioid.
The primary purpose of the naloxone is for use if an officer is exposed. However, if there is a life-threatening situation and emergency medical services are not immediately available, officers will be trained to use it on members of the public, the OPP said.