LONDON KY—Laurel County Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) provided the London Police Department with eight Opt-fit Gas Masks through a grant. The personal protective equipment (PPE) is highly effective when officers come into contact with fentanyl, clandestine drug laboratories, and hazardous material incidents.
“These masks will provide our officers with safety from an airborne threat. Fentanyl, an opioid drug that is on our radar, has the potential to become airborne,” said Lt. Jessie Williams.
In 2018, Laurel Co. ASAP equipped the London Police Department with needle-proof gloves to protect officers from accidental needle stick injuries. Accidental needle sticks would possibly expose officers on the job to bloodborne pathogens.
Laurel Co. ASAP has equipped the Department with Narcan nasal-spray since the Department has participated in the program. Narcan is utilized to save a life from an opioid overdose. As the opioid drug culture evolves, so do local law enforcement agencies and the tools they use.
“We’re very thankful for our community partners who are looking out for our safety, while we look out for theirs. This is a piece of equipment we’d rather have and not need, than need and not have,” Williams said.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.