San Francisco

San Francisco Police Now Equipped to Help Overdose Victims

San Francisco police officers are being equipped with a new trauma kit to help overdose victims.

Outreach workers are training officers to administer the drug Naloxone, which was successfully used by an SFPD officer in June to reverse an overdose.

Glide Memorial Church outreach team member Paul Harkin said saving a life is the first step toward treatment. He believes all first responders should have the rescue kit, which can reverse an overdose.

"You can't do treatment when you're dead," Harkin said. "So let's save you from overdose. Then we can help you manage the way you are using substances."

The Public Health Department said Naloxone use is up in San Francisco. In this past July, Naloxone reversed 75 overdoses compared to 25 in July of last year.

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