Dalton officers now carrying drugs to prevent opioid overdoses

Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 11/8/16. Sgt. Chris Rice stands behind the Red Bank Police Department on November 8, 2016 and speaks about how he used Narcan nasal spray to save a man from a drug overdose on October 27 of this year. Sgt. Rice was the first officer from the department to use the spray which is now standard issue for Red Bank Police Officers.
Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 11/8/16. Sgt. Chris Rice stands behind the Red Bank Police Department on November 8, 2016 and speaks about how he used Narcan nasal spray to save a man from a drug overdose on October 27 of this year. Sgt. Rice was the first officer from the department to use the spray which is now standard issue for Red Bank Police Officers.

Dalton police officers now have Narcan, the nasal spray form of a drug that can block the effects of opioids and reverse an overdose.

According to a release from the agency, a grant from the Medical Association of Georgia Foundation paid for the drug. Narcan is becoming more prevalent with police and emergency agencies as opioid abuse has risen, leading to overdoses.

Also, some addicts and dealers have begun to use fentanyl, an opioid that actually be absorbed through the skin. According to the release, some officers across the country have overdosed because they came in contact with fentanyl during an investigation.

"Drug overdoses are quite common in our community, and with the addition of fentanyl to these drugs, it's more likely to lead to a quick death," said Dalton Police Chief Jason Parker. "We also have to be concerned about the risk of exposure to our officers."

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