Bellevue Police Officers Now Carry Narcan

BELLEVUE, WA — To help save more lives amid a growing opioid crisis, and prevent an increasing number of deaths linked to fentanyl-tainted drugs, police officers in Bellevue are now carrying Narcan. According to police data, there have been 10 overdose deaths in Bellevue so far this year, compared to eight in all of 2018. Bellevue PD joins an expanding list of law enforcement agencies in the region that are trained to administer the drug, including almost 20 others in King County and at least eight in Pierce County. According to Public Health data, Narcan reversed at least 5,000 overdoses in King County alone last year.

"There's no question Narcan saves lives," said Assistant Police Chief Patrick Arpin.

"Our fire department has carried Narcan for years since they are traditionally the first medical emergency responders on scene, but with the increase in the number of drug cases our officers are seeing, Narcan is now a necessary tool for us to better protect the public."

According to police, King County has seen a 35 percent increase in overdose deaths in the past two years, including a recent string of deaths linked to the synthetic opioid fentanyl. As police respond to more drug-related calls, Arpin says Narcan will also help protect officers in the event of an accidental exposure.

Narcan is also available without a prescription to any member of the public. You can find a list of pharmacies that carry the drug on the Stop Overdose website.