Poland Township police may soon carry heroin antidote

POLAND

Township police might soon begin to carry Naloxone, also known as Narcan, a drug that reverses the effects of an overdose from opioids such as heroin.

Township trustees and Police Chief Brian Goodin all expressed support for the idea at a board of trustees meeting Wednesday.

The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office has offered to give the township an initial supply of the drug and to train officers, at no cost to the township, Goodin said.

Although Goodin said township police do not often deal with heroin overdoses, he said he wants them to be prepared for the situation.

“I don’t want to say it’s going to happen a lot. But you never can tell. No community is immune,” he said.

He said he expects the process of training officers to begin sometime early next year.