Did you hear about the Ohio sheriff who refuses to let his officers carry Narcan because he says "it's sucking the taxpayers dry?"?

If you place the lives of drug overdose victims below tax money, then yes, you are a heartless piece of shit.

Well, I think the the concern is people who “overdose” regularly. Does Narcan give them the kind of high they’re looking for, and what is the potential for calling in saying they’re overdosing when they aren’t?

@Dutchess_III: Narcan doesn’t make people high. It negates the effects of heroin so the user doesn’t die.

Another “Flat-earth” public official.

the reality behind the excuse is readily apparent in the revelation that the “treatment” comes down to $37 a dose. The sheriff’s sentiments will grow ever more common in the emerging effort for public acceptance of the the “throwaway” people concept.

@Dutchess_III Receiving Narcan is very unpleasant, it puts the receiver into withdrawal symptoms almost immediately. Does not provide a high.

This guy sounds like a piece of shit to me!

Thanks for the clarification. I wasn’t sure what it did.

The sheriff is a malicious shitbag who is not worthy of the office he holds. But such is America now…

^Such is Ohio….

Malicious shitbags who are unworthy of the office they hold aren’t just found in Ohio.

I see nothing wrong with this. He said the paramedics get there about the same time and they are better equipped for administration of it. He said some people have called and been revived 20 times. The article used the term “opioid-ravaged” county. This is not law enforcement and I have no quip with a Sheriff refusing to administer this treatment when the paramedics always show up for those calls too. That is really overusing tax-funded services.

^The drug reverses the effects of an opioid. Some areas have worse opioid problems than others. EMS can be overwhelmed sometimes. Having first responders capable of administering this shot can save lives. I personally don’t see a difference between using CPR, or this shot. I am a little worried about people misdiagnosing an overdose, but I would think that the officers received training before getting the drug. In the end, it should save more lives, than it negatively effects.

The sheriff’s excuse is transparently hollow, and equivalent to refusing to equip patrol cars with fire extinguishers because “firemen do it best.” It’s stupidity beyond belief that in the middle of an opioid epidemic this fool thinks he can get away with “it ain’t my problem.” Whatever grief or expense he might believe he spares his department or staff, will quickly evaporate with the first wrongful death suit when the idiot’s words are quoted to a jury.

Yep, just wait until that first time that paramedics can’t get to an overdose before the sheriff’s office does and they can’t help the person because Sheriff Chucklefuck didn’t think it was worth bothering about.

^Ha! Chucklefuck….

A contrary view. Not that I think the guy is right, but I would posit that that there may be some rational explanations. I wouldn’t be so quick to pillory him.

First, in Ohio (and many other states) sheriffs are elected, not appointed. So one would have to figure that this guy will be running again in a year or two, and that this decision, while ostensibly law enforcement, is in some way related to his constituency and the likelihood of getting reelected. Politics is never far away.

Second, I’m sympathetic to the training issue. Sheriff’s deputies are not trained in the administration of drugs. Even a spray bottle like Narcan – there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. If a policeman or deputy does it the wrong way, it’s not unreasonable to assume that the addict (or his/her family) will sue the police or sheriff department for malpractice or something similar. I can see why this sheriff would want to avoid that sort of lawsuit.

Finally, as the sheriff said, in a county like Butler (part of the Cincinnati metro area) an ambulance and properly trained personnel are not that far away. There are plenty of counties in Ohio that have much poorer EMT service. So I think there is a rational basis for this sheriff to leave the detox job to the people who are trained for it.

Summary: this sheriff is not necessarily an uncaring jackass – there are rational reasons for his decision.

About as rational as a police officer refusing to administer aid to a stabbing victim because “hey, the EMTs should be here soon”. Besides, narcan comes in several formats, including an auto-injector that’s designed to be usable by anyone, trained or not.

The idea that he’s letting people die because he thinks it will help him get reelected is somehow not helping me feel better about this guy.

I have qualms too @elbanditoroso. It’s like gang members who go out looking for a fight. One or two get stabbed or shot (as to be expected) and they’re rushed to the ER and, depending on their injury, are rolled ahead of others who aren’t responsible for their own injuries.

@elbanditoroso you should have this man’s job! Or at least stand between him and anyone from the press. Contrast your rationale with his statement on the matter. But in the end it will come down to just what is it a cop should be about. Sure it’s going to require training, but as Darth Algar says the first time a squad car arrives first at an overdose scene, and the victim dies, this man’s career is in the toilet.

@MollyMcGuire Are you saying the guy on heroin is getting two doses? One from the cops and one from EMS? Or, is your point EMS is sometimes a private company?

@stanleybmanly – why is it that when a person gives a thoughtful answer, which I did, one gets attacked personally? I said twice that I didn’t agree with the sheriff, and that I was throwing possible rationalizations out.

And for that, I get painted with your negative aspersions on me. Is your mind so closed that you cannot see there might be another side?

Where I do agree with you is abut the definition of “what a cop is about”. There appears to be no consistent standard across the US about what that role is, particularly in relation to medical assistance. I’m not at all sure that I want a street cop to be injecting me with anything. That’s a conversation to have.

I would ask you to read my answer again, then tell me how and where you were attacked. My comment is specifically that your explanation is MUCH better than that of the sheriff, and that you deserve his job. It’s a compliment!

Narcan can be administered in several different ways. For those who are saying a cop is not capable of giving a shot, if a Joe or Jane can give themselves a steroid injection for fertility treatments or an insulin injection for diabetes, I’m sure a cop can learn to give a shot. There are preloaded injectible pens, like the Epi-pen, too. Those just require a punch with the pen, very easy.

It’s not a shot. It’s a nasal spray. They have to get down eye level with the spitting, frothing, angry patient.

@Dutchess_III

Nasal spray is one format, yes. It also comes in intravenous and subcutaneous forms. In its subcutaneous form it is manufactured as an auto-injector, like the Epipen.

Ok. I was just going by what the article said.