04/06/2025
Please read
This is a long read, but it’s worth your time—because it could help save a life.
Recently, our department responded to a call involving an adult who had overdosed on what he believed was he**in. While he**in may have been present, there was most definitely fentanyl in the mix. When our officer arrived, the man was unconscious and unresponsive. Thanks to the training from Valley Ambulance Authority and our officer immediately administering naloxone (Narcan), his life was saved.
It wasn’t easy. It took five doses of Narcan to reverse the overdose.
Here are the key takeaways from this experience:
1. Fentanyl is everywhere. It's being mixed into nearly every street drug—including ma*****na. Just one exposure can be deadly.
2. One dose of Narcan isn’t always enough. This powerful synthetic opioid is far stronger than he**in and harder to counteract.
3. Another important point: No charges are filed when someone calls 911 to report an overdose. There are protections in place for both the person overdosing and the individual who makes the call. The focus in these moments is simple: save lives.
If you come across someone who has overdosed:
• Do not touch any drug paraphernalia—you could expose yourself to fentanyl.
• Call 911 immediately.
• Stay with the patient so that emergency personnel can quickly understand the situation and act accordingly.
•
In this case, the paraphernalia was seized and destroyed. But the most important outcome? A life was saved—because someone called for help.
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I spent much of my career working narcotics. When he**in surged in the 1990s, it took lives at an alarming rate. I’ll never forget my first he**in-related investigation and arrest: a young teenage couple. Interviewing them, I saw firsthand how deeply opioid addiction takes hold. As a parent, I was shaken. And I was motivated.
Addiction at this level is hard to understand unless you’ve lived it. It rewires a person’s mind and body. I’ve seen it push people—good people—to desperate and unthinkable acts, simply to feed their addiction. I’ve also seen the tragic consequences.
It’s easy to speak negatively about those struggling with addiction. You may have done it yourself. But I can tell you—no one wants to be an addict.
Many became hooked after being prescribed opioids for injuries. Others self-medicate to cope with mental illness. I have empathy for them—because I’ve witnessed their pain, their struggles, and the love their families continue to show despite the heartbreak.
Addicts are people. They are sons, daughters, friends, and parents. They are still loved.
So please—help us protect life. If you see an overdose, call 911. Stay with the person. Don’t touch anything. And remember: The mission is not to arrest. The mission is to save lives.
