The Winter Haven Police Department is the latest agency in Florida to arm their officers with a naloxone, a drug that reverses heroin overdoses. Florida has one of the highest numbers of overdose deaths in the country, but agencies in southwest Florida are not armed with naloxone.
Last year, Four in Your Corner asked law enforcement in our area if they were looking into this. Many said they were discussing it, but a year later, no agencies have implemented it.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arms their deputies with naloxone.
Four in Your Corner's Lisa Greenberg asked one of their sergeants last May, after they started carrying the drug, if agencies across our state should start arming their officers with naloxone;
"We would hope that agencies would really look to provide tools for their individuals to help make a difference and save a life," Sgt. Donny Kenard said.
A year later, paramedics in southwest Florida still carry naloxone, but not law enforcement.
The heroin epidemic shows no signs of decline: Lee Health reported 201 overdoses in 2015. The hospital system could only give us overdose numbers through September of 2016, which was already at 182.
Cape Coral Police said they were looking into it last year, but there were issues that came up, like cost, expiration dates, storage, and temperature.
"It has to stay at room temperature to be usable, and we live in Florida. Our patrol guys are out in their black and white cars in the heat of the Florida sun. It's not going to stay at room
temperature," Cpl. Phil Mullen of Cape Coral Police said.
Fort Myers Police said they're not discussing it. The Hendry County Sheriff's Office is currently talking about it. Clewiston Police said they have nothing in the works as far as implementing naloxone.
Naples Police said "The Naples Fire and Rescue Department carries naloxone. The Naples Fire and Rescue Department is dispatched along with the Police Department to all medical related calls for service. It makes sense that Naples firefighters who all have a level of medical training, administer naloxone."
The Collier County Sheriff's Office said "Equipping our deputies with naloxone is something we are continuing to consider, although there are various logistical factors that must be considered. For example, the manufacturers advise that naloxone should be stored at room temperature. This poses a challenge for Patrol vehicles, which are subjected to the Southwest Florida heat when they are not being driven. In the meantime, we are fortunate that our EMS personnel in Collier County already carry this medication and have quick response times in the event that it is needed."
Four in Your Corner did not hear back from the Lee County Sheriff's Office or the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.
"EMS has it. Fire has it. There's a lot of things we can and have done to save victims of heroin overdose outside of naloxone," Cpl. Mullen said.
