PAARI

The Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Police and Community Partners
    • Our Board and Staff
    • Public Safety Council
    • Lived Experience Council
    • Annual Report
    • PAARI Recovery Corps Members
    • Worksites
  • Join Us
    • Police/Public Safety
    • Contact Us
    • Media Room
    • Careers
    • Get the Newsletter
  • Donate Now!
  • News
    • Press Releases
    • PAARI In Development
  • Training
    • Upcoming Webinars/Events
    • Webinar Archive
    • Partner Spotlight Archive
    • 2023 PAARI National Law Enforcement Summit
    • Resources from the 2022 National Law Enforcement Summit
    • Resources from the 2019 National Law Enforcement Summit
    • Resources from the 2018 National Law Enforcement Summit
    • Resources from the 2017 National Law Enforcement Summit
  • For Police
    • Opioid Settlement Funds
    • 2023 PAARI National Law Enforcement Summit
    • Doing a Lot with a Little: How to Start a Police Department-Based Opiate Outreach Program
    • One2One: Engagement to Recovery Program
    • Police and Public Safety Organizations: Looking to Join Us?
    • The Arlington Outreach Initiative
    • The Gloucester ANGEL Program
    • Roll Call Videos
You are here: Home / Press Releases / Narcan Distribution Hailed after Arlington Police Respond to Three Overdoses over Holiday Weekend

September 8, 2016

Narcan Distribution Hailed after Arlington Police Respond to Three Overdoses over Holiday Weekend

Arlington Police Department Press Release

Arlington Seal

Arlington Police Department
Frederick Ryan, Chief of Police
112 Mystic St.
Arlington, MA 02474

For Immediate Release

Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016

Contact: Captain Richard Flynn, PIO
Office: 781-316-3907
Cell: 781-844-1224
Email: rflynn@town.arlington.ma.us

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Arlington Police Respond to Three Overdoses Over Holiday Weekend

First Responders and Loved Ones Use Narcan to Revive Victims

ARLINGTON — Chief Frederick Ryan reports that the Arlington Police Department responded to multiple heroin and drug overdoses last week, from Thursday to Sunday, where all three victims were revived. Two individuals were saved by the use of Narcan, the opioid reversal drug that has been widely distributed throughout town as part of a police-driven initiative.

On Sept. 3, a 32-year-old man, who was on the brink of death, survived a heroin overdose due to a timely dose of Narcan. A loved one administered the dosage. Two days prior, on Sept. 1, the Arlington Fire Department revived a 46-year-old man who had overdosed on heroin with Narcan. A third overdose victim was revived at an area hospital.

Overdose rates have skyrocketed nationwide over the past several years, and Arlington is no exception. The town has experienced 30 heroin overdoses so far this year, compared with 19 at this time last year. However, due to the expansion of the Narcan program in town, where all first responders are equipped with the reversal drug and families and friends are provided doses free of charge, the amount of overdose deaths so far this year have decreased by nearly 2/3 — from six in 2015 to two in 2016.

“Two deaths are still too many, but I am extremely proud of the work being done by the Arlington Police Department, Arlington Fire Department and community members who have taken an active step in decreasing opioid overdoses by equipping themselves with Narcan,” Chief Ryan said. “Treatment works, and Narcan gives families and first responders another chance to help someone take back their life.”

The distribution of nasal Naloxone, or Narcan, and education on its administration and usage, is a core component of the Arlington Outreach Initiative, a police-led addiction and recovery program that seeks to help those suffering from substance use disorders. Since its launch last year, it has been modeled by police departments nationwide.

The Arlington Outreach Initiative is one of the two main addiction and recovery programs being modeled under the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.), with the other being the popular Gloucester Police Department ANGEL Initiative. The Arlington Outreach Initiative focuses on identifying and reaching a vulnerable segment of the population, while the Gloucester ANGEL Initiative encourages those suffering from addiction to come directly to the police station to be placed into a treatment program. 

“P.A.A.R.I. prioritizes the distribution of affordable Naloxone to law enforcement and people suffering from the disease of addiction because it saves lives everyday,” said John Rosenthal, co-founder of P.A.A.R.I. “Every police department and family of a loved one who is addicted to opioids should have access to this life saving overdose blocking treatment.”

###

Article by John Guilfoil / Press Releases

Sign up for our Newsletter!

PAARI
Tweets by @PaariUSA

National HQ

12 Broadway
Beverly, MA 01915

Plymouth Satellite Office

225 Water Street
Suite A150
Plymouth, MA 02360

 

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Join Us
  • Donate Now!
  • News
  • Training
  • For Police
Copyright © 2023 Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative Inc. · Site Design by JGPR
 

Loading Comments...