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Last updated on Thursday, June 9, 2016
(BLOOMINGTON) - On Monday the Bloomington Police Department began training and issuing officers on the use of Naloxone, an opiate antidote. On Tuesday officers used the newly issued antidote twice to save lives.
Naloxone is an opiate antidote intended for use when a person is overdosing from an opioid such as heroin, OxyContin, Percocet, methadone and Vicodin. Naloxone blocks the effects of the opioids and reverses the overdose effects.
Bloomington Police officers have been issued the intranasal version of the antidote, and training for officers began on Monday. At the conclusion of the training every officer will be carrying Naloxone. The Naloxone antidote and training in its use has been provided by the Indiana Naloxone Project. This is a subgroup of the Indiana Recovery Alliance, which is a volunteer harm reduction project designed to improve the health and well-being of the community.
On Tuesday, at approximately 2 p.m., officers responded to the 1400 block of West 12th Street regarding a heroin overdose. Officers used Naloxone to stabilize the subject for transport to the hospital. Approximately an hour later, officers responded to the 1600 block of North Willis for another heroin overdose. Naloxone was once again successfully used.
The department anticipates all officers will be trained in the use of Naloxone by early next week.
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