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‘Lazarus drug’ Naloxone now standard gear for Unified Police

Posted at 6:21 PM, Jan 05, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-05 20:21:42-05

SALT LAKE CITY -- Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder announced a very small addition to Unified Police Department gear that will save lives.

It's a dose of Naloxone, the so-called Lazarus drug able to reverse the effects of opioid and opiate overdose.

"They'll carry it in their side pocket, and if there's any hint an individual is down as a result of overdose, our officer will then apply the naloxone spray," Winder said.

Unified Police join their colleagues in Salt Lake City and Cottonwood Heights in providing the drug to all officers.

Dr. Jennifer Plumb stood beside Winder at the announcement. Plumb runs the University of Utah's Naloxone program and serves on the pediatrics staff at the University Hospital.

"The reality is we're losing about 10 people a week to overdose deaths, and about one person every day just to opioids alone," Plumb said.