Police officers and deputies in Lee County will soon have a new tool that could decrease the number of heroin overdoses in the county.
Lee County Sheriff deputies and Dixon police officers will be equipped with Narcan, a drug that can reverse the effects of heroin and other opioid overdoses. Officers are expected to be trained and carrying Narcan by the beginning of June, said Lee County Sheriff John Simonton.
"Having another tool for our officers to use, from a medical standpoint, just made sense," Simonton said.
"Every deputy will be trained in this and every deputy will carry a kit in their squad car as well," Simonton added.
For the past several years, Emergency Medical Technicians in Lee County have carried Narcan. The drug has been utilized 75 times over the past three years, said Dixon Fire Chief Tim Shipman.
Shipman praised the drug, stating "there's not a bad side effect" to it, meaning if first responders administer the drug and later find out the patient wasn't suffering from an overdose, the drug won't have any negative effects.
Dixon's Chief of Police Danny Langloss said he's heard stories from colleagues about how the drug has saved people's lives.
"It's amazing. You can have somebody that's there, is lifeless, isn't breathing, doesn't have a pulse, and the next thing you know they are wide awake and sitting there talking to you. It's crazy," Langloss said.
In March of 2015, several organizations within Lee County forged the Anti-Heroin Task Force with goals of educating the public about the dangers of heroin, and providing services for heroin users. The group was formed after three people died of a heroin overdose within 11 days in the county.
The Sheriff's Department and Dixon Police Department have partnered with the task force to combat heroin use within the county.
On May 27 at 6 p.m. the Anti-Heroin Task Force will host a community Narcan training session at KSB Hospital. Registration is required. To register, call 815-284-3371 or email contactus@lchd.com.