Since the inception of the Narcan deployment program on July 1, 2014, the Kenilworth Police Department has embraced the opportunity to use whatever tools are available to help those in need of medical assistance. Patrol officers from our department are equipped with dose kits containing the drug Naxalone which is used to reverse the effects of opioids during an overdose. The dose kits are kept available at all times in every vehicle in the department’s patrol fleet. Each officer has gone through the required training to carry and administer the treatment to people in distress due to an opiate induced overdose.
Since January 1, 2016 officers administered the treatment on three separate occasions, all with lifesaving results. Chief John Zimmerman states “He commends the efforts of this community’s emergency response personnel involved in these saves” and “Pledges a continued commitment to drug education and awareness starting at the elementary school age of our children in order to help combat this state’s opiate addiction epidemic”.
The Kenilworth Police Department will continue to work in cooperation with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office in order to provide this added service to our community.
(above) Kenilworth Police officer exhibiting the Narcan dose kits carried by patrol officers.
