A police officer in Sheffield was the first in South Yorkshire to make use of a life-saving drug to save a woman suffering from a drug overdose.
South Yorkshire Police announced last month that trained and consenting frontline officers would carry the drug Naloxone on them. This nasal spray is being used by police officers across the UK and helps to reverse the effects of overdoses from opioids.
This includes drugs like heroin and morphine as well as synthetic opioids like methadone, fentanyl and Nitazenes. On Friday, January 3, one officer in Sheffield was the first to make use of the spray. He administered the Naloxone to a woman who was unwell and unresponsive in Sheffield City Centre after she suffered from a suspected drug overdose.
Sergeant Simon Pickering noticed the woman while patrolling the area and after she failed to respond to attempts to revive her, he used the spray. She began to respond within five minutes and Sergeant Pickering then stayed with her alongside a colleague until paramedics arrived.
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“Administering the Naloxone stopped her from going into cardiac arrest and potentially saved her life,” Sgt Pickering said. “I was really impressed by the response of Naloxone and it was very intrusive as it works as a nasal spray.”
According to South Yorkshire Police, their decision to approve the use of Naloxone comes as drug-related deaths in England and Wales have reached record levels. There were 5,448 drug-related deaths in 2023, the highest since records began in 1993.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Oughton said: “Naloxone really is a life-saving drug and this particular incident proves just how effective it is in reversing the effects of a potentially fatal opioid overdose. As police officers, our overriding priority is to save and preserve lives, and Naloxone does just that.
“As shown by this incident, the administering of it buys crucial time for medical intervention by paramedics and hospital staff and had Naloxone not been given to this woman when it was, she could have fallen into cardiac arrest.
“We hope our officers and staff don’t have to use Naloxone but if they encounter someone suffering from a drug overdose, having it on their person and administering it could save a person’s life.”
The spray is now being rolled out to trained police officers and staff across South Yorkshire following work with the four local councils. All police officers and staff must complete mandatory training before being allowed to carry it, and the decision to carry it is optional.