From the Bel Air Police Department:
(May 20, 2015 BEL AIR, MD) In an effort to become more proactive in dealing with the growing heroin issue, the Bel Air Police Department will begin carrying Naxolone. Naxolone, commonly known by its brand name Narcan, can be administered by officers to subjects experiencing, or believed to be experiencing an opioid overdose. Narcan can help prevent a fatal overdose when emergency medical personnel are not readily available.
The Harford County Drug Task Force, which includes the Bel Air Police Department, responds to all heroin overdoses in the county to include fatal and non-fatal. Responding members will interview the victims and witnesses that may have been present at the time of the overdose in an attempt to gain the knowledge of where and from whom they purchased the heroin. Police officers also hand out “Ready For Help??” information cards at each non-fatal overdose so that the victim has a number to call when they’re ready to seek help for their addiction.
“The Bel Air Police Department will be trained in the use of the drug by the Harford County Health Department. We will continue to work closely with the Harford County Drug Task Force as well as the Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy as we in the Law Enforcement field work to help combat this deadly trend.”
If you would like to report drug dealing in your area please call the anonymous tip line at 410-836-7788. If you are an addict and looking for help please call 410-877-2347.
Taxes R Us says
Who is paying for the doses they are carrying?
Wally Brenton says
The cost is nominal compared to saving a life!
The mission of the police department is to save lives and protect property
Kharn says
The Sheriff’s Department’s role is to enforce the law, protect the courts and run the jail, protecting property or individuals is not a obligation unless a special relationship exists between the department and the individual or property.
If you need medical assistance, call a medic, not a deputy.
Kharn says
Whoops, “police department” not “sheriff’s department,” but the same lack of obligation applies.
h says
I do believe the possession and use of illegal drugs is something law enforcement actually does cover.
Idiot.
Ralph says
Then why don’t they arrest and charge them? The way I read information pertaining to this new initiative is they give them a card telling them where they can get help if they want it. No arrest is made or charges preferred. Sounds to me like the most grateful person in learning that the narcan has worked is the drug dealer knowing they didn’t lose a client.
h says
Do you really think the cops let people go, with drugs and paraphernalia in their possession?
Might I suggest you walk into the nearest precinct and try out your understanding of the subject. Let us know how it works out Ralph.
Ralph says
@h
Yes that’s what I think because that is what I have been told by some of the Officers.
Are you saying that the individuals who receive the narcan are then arrested and taken to jail?
john e. law says
Maryland passed the good samaritan law in 2014 which gives immunity to persons present with regard to possession & paraphernalia when the police are on scene only due to call for help, 911.
h says
Well yes it did John and if you can get an overdose victim to call 911 that would be a miracle negating the need for narcan. Good Samaritan covers someone who calls for a victim so people don’t just sit around and watch an overdosed druggie die.
Daddy Rabbit says
If they leave those folks alone, it does help to clean up the gene pool.
bender says
This is a very inexpensive drug. My daughter uses this daily in treatment for her autism. She uses a form called Naltrexone. It only cost $20 a month.
CDev says
Are you sure that is not just your insurance copay?
bender says
Ha! i wish my insurance would cover this but I have to pay for this prescription out of pocket.
Naltrexone and Naloxone are similiar in molecular structure; both are opioid atagonist and block opioid receptors in the brain. Naltrexone is the longer acting version of Naloxone. My daughter’s dosage is low (6 mg) and appiled transdermally, while Naloxone is by injection and a much higher dosage. Naltrexone is inexpensive as it is off patent and is classified as an orphan drug. It has much off label use for other disorders including multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and other autoimmune disorders.
CDev says
BTW I just looked it up. The drug your kid takes is not the same. Though your kids Ned’s can be used to treat alcoholism. It does not do the same thing.
Git r Done says
Period, bottom line…drugs are ILLEGAL! Get caught serve your crime & time ..are you and idiot of circumstance and bad upbringing?? Po-Lease….leave the country and go where it is legal if you want to act cute and be cute and try to be bad…
Jay says
Let them die! it’s not as if drug OD victims are productive contributing members of society, they make a choice to use drugs they should suffer the consequences. Why should I have to pay for any form of treatment?
SoulCrusher says
And everyone wonders why I claim that Nazism is firmly instilled in Harford County…….Thank You for proving my point.
Hedley Lamarr says
Jay, you have any children? My guess is your a 30 something know it all with young children that has all the answers. If I’m correct you have all the answers partly do to the fact that you still have control over your kids, I’m going to be nice and say god help you and your kids if they become involved with drugs, drugs have no boundary and do not discriminate, and I will agree that it is a choice but kids make bad decisions all the time, peer pressure, wanting to be cool and fit in etc.
Hedley Lamarr says
Jay, another thought, why don’t you take some time out of your schedule and visit a Funeral Home where a 18 year old is laying in a casket because of a overdose and tell the parents your view on things. I’m a firm believer in Karma and you should be too.
Jay says
I don’t see any references to forcing anyone into a gas chamber, where is the Nazism you reference?
How could anyone object to allowing people to exercise their free will to commit suicide with illegal drugs?
NosyNeighbor says
That is one of the more ridiculous comments I’ve read here. People who overdose are not always trying to kill themselves. Just like people who speed are not always trying to kill themselves. Sometimes an unintended consequence occurs. Sometimes people who use drugs overdose and die. Sometimes people who speed lose control of their vehicles and die. Should medics/police not respond to car accidents either?
Oh, and by the way, who do you think pays for treatment when someone is incarcerated? Who do you think pays for treatment when someone is on medicaid?
Maybe if you focused more on treatment and support (and less on intolerance), they could become “productive members of society.”
SoulCrusher says
@ Jay – Oh I don’t know, maybe your reference to letting them die because they are not productive members of society. That’s pretty Nazi in my book……even if you are not using the gas chamber.
NotJustaSpermDonor says
I think we should keep them alive. Drug dealers are human beings and they have to eat and feed their families. They can’t afford to be consistently losing their clients. Just recently, a Baltimore City Councilman was heard on TV saying that the reason Freddie Gray was a drug dealer was to feed his family. Drug dealers need clients, it’s what makes the world go round.
SoulCrusher says
Well, there ain’t no rest for the wicked, money don’t grow on trees, I’ve got bills to pay and mouths to feed, ain’t nothing in this world for free…..
Dom says
We obviously have a drug problem in quiet old Harford County.
I think we could pump billions of dollars here into “social” groups for “support” and there will still be daily overdoses.
What’s the plan? No idea, tweekers are always gonna tweek I guess.