Dedham Police Department Deploys Nasal Narcan in all Patrol Cruisers

For Immediate Release

Friday, Dec. 5, 2014

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Dedham Police Department Deploys Nasal Narcan in all Patrol Cruisers

DEDHAM — Police Chief Michael J. d’Entremont reports that all Dedham Police Patrol Cruisers are now outfitted with Nasal Naloxone, otherwise known as Narcan.

Dedham Police Officer Jason Sullivan attended a “train the trainer program” hosted by Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey’s office in March. He then trained all of Dedham Police Department members on the proper use and administration or Nasal Naloxone.

“Narcan is an important emergency medical tool in this day and age,” Chief d’Entremont said. “While we vigorously enforce the drug laws and work to educate the public on the evils associated with heroin use and opioid abuse, we also must be prepared to respond to those who are potentially caught in its fatal grip.”

Opioid overdose is now one of the leading causes of death in Massachusetts, leading Governor Deval Patrick to declare it a public health crisis in March.

If someone you know exhibits signs of a drug overdose, call 911 immediately. Good Samaritan Laws offer protections for callers from simple drug possession charges when seeking medical attention for an overdose victim.

Narcan, the brand name for Naloxone, is an “opioid antagonist,” which means it displaces opioid from receptors in the brain and can immediately reverse the effects of an overdose. Narcan has few side effects, and it will not harm a patient who has not overdosed. Nasal Narcan does not use needles/sharps, further increasing its safety. Narcan can be used to reverse heroin overdose, as well as overdoses of OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, and hydrocodone drugs like Vicodin.

Narcan is just one tool that the Town of Dedham has brought to bear on the opioid crisis. The Dedham Police Department actively investigates violations of drug laws, and they offer a MedReturn Drop Box at the Dedham Police Station, where members of the public can safely discard their unneeded or unwanted prescription drugs.

Dedham has also created The Dedham Coalition for Drug and Alcohol Awareness, which provides education and resources for those suffering from substance abuse and their families. A pamphlet about the Coalition was recently included in all Dedham sewer bills, to help spread the word.

“Heroin is a problem in every community, big and small. No city or town can afford to ignore it or its devastating effects on families, neighborhoods, and individuals,” said Dedham Town Manager Jim Kern. “Although we would prefer never to have to use something like Narcan, I am proud that both the Dedham Police and Fire Departments have trained themselves to use it to potentially save human lives.”

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