Waterloo, Hamilton police differ on use of opioid antidote
Hamilton chief says paramedics best to administer naloxone
HAMILTON — Waterloo Regional Police has used naloxone six times on its officers and 17 times on members of the public believed to be in contact with fentanyl.
This is in contrast to Hamilton Police Service, which has been reluctant to roll out the opioid antidote to officers despite the province’s offer to provide kits for free.
Waterloo Region Police Chief Bryan Larkin said his jurisdiction has “been batting above the provincial average” when it comes to overdose calls and deaths.
“It’s not something that our community is proud of but we have to react differently,” he said in Hamilton Tuesday morning.
Larkin was speaking with Hamilton Police Service Chief Eric Girt during a news conference about the Ontario Association of Chiefs board of directors meeting at Carmen’s Best Western.
Waterloo police use naloxone kits to protect officers involved with drug processing, managing seized evidence and those on patrol, Larkin said.
“As a personal protection piece for officers, we’ve had six internal deployments on individuals” who came into contact with suspected fentanyl.
Police have also used naloxone on 17 members of the public in crisis, Larkin said.
Last week, the province announced it plans to offer free nasal spray kits to police and fire departments in response to a growing opioid overdose crisis.
Authorities across Canada are struggling to rein in what many call an epidemic.
In 2016, Hamilton Public Health recorded 297 emergency department visits for opioidrelated emergencies, a rate of 52.9 per 100,000 population. There were 52 deaths.
The Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network had 324 cases, or 41.4 per 100,000 population, and 50 deaths.
In 2016, the provincial average for emergency department visits was 31.7 cases per 100,000.
Hamilton firefighters already carry naloxone kits on trucks, but local police do not.
A number of forces, including Waterloo, the OPP, RCMP, Ottawa, Barrie and Durham already equip officers with naloxone, Larkin noted.
“But again, it comes down to an individual piece. I think it has to be a made-in-local solution.”
Girt said the Hamilton Police Service has studied the issue and determined paramedics are best suited to provide naloxone during overdoses.
They’re often on scene before police or shortly afterward and trained for such medical emergencies, he said.
“The idea is to get that person to medical care quickly.”
Girt added “persons with lived experience” have said they’re less likely to disclose what drug they’ve used to a police officer than a medical first responder.
If treatment is refused, police officers can’t force a patient to take naloxone, he added. “They may still be at risk of an overdose once the naloxone wears off.”
Previously, Girt has expressed concern about liability if an officer mistakenly uses the antidote on someone who hasn’t overdosed but is actually suffering from a medical episode such as a heart attack.
The Hamilton Police Association supports the rollout of naloxone kits to front-line officers to protect them and the public alike.
A police officer processing evidence at headquarters on Sunday believed he’d touched fentanyl or carfentanil, which is a more powerful drug.
Firefighters arrived after 911 was called and handed him naloxone, which the officer himself injected. Paramedics then took him to hospital. The substance turned out to be cocaine, and the officer was fine.
Girt said the officer’s scare and the union’s call haven’t shaken his position on the antidote.
“In short, it doesn’t change my view.”
A first responder trained to administer naloxone was there and the officer required medical treatment, Girt said. The antidote proved ineffective because the exposure turned out to have “nothing to do with the suspected substance” and needed more analysis, he added. Girt said officers have been equipped with HAZMAT respirators for some time and now use nitrile gloves instead of latex ones for better protection.
In light of the provincial announcement, Hamilton police will re-examine data to see if officers should carry naloxone kits, he said.