Some City of Atlanta police officers are now carrying Narcan, used to reverse heroin overdoes, the department said Thursday.
The Atlanta Police Department is the latest — and largest — of the metro agencies with access to the life-saving drug, also called Naloxone. Atlanta officers will carry the nasal form of the drug, and 100 officers have already been trained, an APD spokeswoman said.
Fatal drug overdoses are on the rise across the country, claiming over 36,000 lives per year and over half of these deaths are caused by opioids, the department said. In the City of Atlanta, there were at least 25 deaths in 2014 attributed to heroin overdose.
“This program has had great success around the nation,” Chief George Turner said in an emailed statement. “If there is a way for our officers to save a life by using Narcan, then that will be incredible. We are proud to be a part of something that allows us to continue to protect and serve the community.”
In June, Holly Springs officers became the first in Georgia to carry Narcan. Since then, other metro agencies have joined the list.
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