West Midlands Police given "life-saving" overdose training in UK first

They're going to give an antidote to people overdosing

Author: Megan JonesPublished 23rd Jul 2019
Last updated 23rd Jul 2019

West Midlands Police is leading the way in helping to tackle drug-related overdoses by training officers to give a life-saving antidote.

The force is the first in the country to offer it to officers on the beat.

It'll mean they can give Naloxone which is an emergency antidote for overdoses caused by heroin, methadone, morphine and fentanyl.

The effects of these drugs are that they can slow down and stop people's breathing.

Figures show someone dies from drug poisoning every three days in the region.

And the cost of drugs to public services in the West Midlands is thought to be around £1.4bn.

Naloxone reverses breathing difficulties temporarily to give time for an ambulance can arrive.

It can be given to people without a prescription and it doesn't cause harm to the person.

The training which is being offered is voluntary and rolled out initially the officers in Birmingham city centre.

Chief Inspector Jane Bailey, the force’s drug lead, said:

“This is a really innovative and exciting initiative as we continue to tackle the issue of drugs and offer help and support to those at risk from drug overdoses.

“Officers will be able to instantly administer the life-saving drug should they come across anyone experiencing an opiate overdose while out and about in the city. A sight which has sadly been experienced by officers who have had to call for paramedics to assist others under the influence of controlled drugs.

“While this is not about trying to interfere with the fantastic work of our ambulance colleagues, who of course will still attend and deal with the patient, it’s about being able to offer the initial first aid and help save a life.

“We also hope that this intervention can assist people with taking steps to get support from our specialist drug agency colleagues in an effort to turn their lives around.”

Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, who has driven through the new policy, said:

“This is a key part of my approach to tackling the harm drugs cause and I am proud that we are leading the way in the West Midlands. Officers carrying naloxone on the beat, was one of my key recommendations to help reduce the harm caused by drugs. We should treat addiction as a health issue, rather than purely as an enforcement issue.

“Police officers are often the first on the scene when there is an overdose. By providing officers with training to use naloxone means we can save lives in the West Midlands.

“As well as savings lives in the immediate period after an overdose, this shows that police officers are there to support as well as enforce. I know of young people who have died after delaying calling the emergency services due to fear of prosecution. This initiative is an important symbol in showing that first and foremost all emergency services are there to protect life.

“In addition to expanding this programme within West Midlands Police, I am also committed to working with other agencies to increase the number of people who carry naloxone, so they can also intervene and save lives.

“Officers are often involved in securing scenes after fatal overdoses, sometimes for considerable amounts of time. This scheme should help to reduce the number of overdoses, meaning that as well as saving lives, it will save the taxpayer money too and free-up resources to tackle crime.

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