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Campbell cops rushed to hospital after contact with “white powder”
CAMPBELL
Four Campbell police officers were hospitalized Friday after coming into contact with a white, powdery substance.
Officers apprehended a man attempting to pass a bag of what is presumed to be narcotics to a prisoner during a session of Campbell Municipal Court.
They came into contact with the substance while booking the man into jail, Mayor Nick Phillips said.
The man was identified by police as Christopher Patton.
The officers – Melissa Williams, Samantha Peak, Ryan Young and Chris Carson – reported feeling numbness and tingling in their hands and faces and were transported to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital for treatment. They were all released Friday evening, Sgt. Eric Manning said.
Symptoms began to show in the officers immediately after they made contact with the powder, after which they stripped out of their uniforms and gear and donned inmate clothing.
Lt. Kevin Sferra said the officers were to be discharged from the hospital late Friday after being treated and decontaminated.
Sferra said the substance had not been identified as of press time Friday night.
“We’re thinking it was either cocaine or heroin laced with something else that caused the reaction,” Sferra said. “If there’s enough left to test, we’ll get it tested to figure out what it was.”
Patton was arraigned Friday on charges of illegal conveyance of drugs or other prohibited items onto grounds of a detention facility or institution.