Sault Ste. Marie Police Service has seen an increase in its officers administering naloxone to members of the public over the past year.
NARCAN — a nasal spray form of naloxone used for the emergency treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose — was used 14 times by the police service in 2021. The nasal spray was used just three times by officers the year before.
“I would see that trend continuing,” said Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Chief Hugh Stevenson, speaking with members of the Police Services Board Thursday. “I see that happening more often than not.”
Stevenson recalled one incident within the past year where a man required naloxone after members of the bicycle patrol unit came across a man who was unresponsive and showing signs of an opioid overdose.
The officers administered four doses of naloxone and performed CPR. After performing CPR for several minutes, the man began to respond and regained consciousness.
“It’s a good thing, because we’re there in a lot of places where maybe the general public isn’t,” Stevenson said of the bicycle patrol unit.
Police Services Board Chair Lisa Vezeau-Allen added that community organizations and businesses can obtain free naloxone kits from the Canadian Mental Health Association.
“We certainly have them at Grocer 4 Good, and last summer our summer student administered and saved two people on Gore Street,” said Vezeau-Allen during the board meeting. “I really recommend that all businesses should have it, and it’s free. So, it’s very easy to do and easy to access.”
In December of 2019, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service expanded its use of naloxone so that all of its members are issued naloxone in the form of NARCAN nasal spray.
Stevenson told SooToday he’s glad members of his police service have tools that can save lives.
“I applaud the members of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service that are in these dire emergent situations and deliver this life-saving medicine for people that are long-term drug users,” said Stevenson, speaking with SooToday after Thursday’s board meeting. “The use of the naloxone and the increase thereof that you’ve seen, as well as the crimes of robbery and violence in our community are…related to a public health issue, and that is long-term drug usage.
“I know all levels of government are doing their best to mitigate, to manage, to reduce this, and I applaud all of those agencies for doing that — and we just have to do more.”