Sarnia police attended close to 200 overdoses in 2021.
In an update to the police services board, Chief Norm Hansen said officers responded to 193 overdoses and deployed Narcan 115 times, and in some cases, several doses of the nasal spray used to treat known or suspected opioid overdoses.
Chief Hansen cautioned that those were conservative numbers.
"First of all, it's only the ones the police attended and it's also only the ones that were actually left classified as an "overdose," said Hansen. "There are a great many that may be classified as "ambulance assist," or "police assistance," or something like that. These are just the ones that we can definitely identify as overdoses."
Chief Hansen said 95 per cent of overdose cases involved fentanyl or a derivative.
Ten people died, the average overdose age was 34-years-old and the average fatality age was 39-years-old.
Sarnia Police Services Board Member Paul Wiersma acknowledged the report.
"It's unfortunate that the current pandemic has received attention to the detriment of perhaps the opioid issue, because I think that has really escalated," said Wiersma. "I look forward to, as a society, being able to deal with this issue."
Board Chair Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said he will make another plea for a permanent 24-bed addiction treatment facility at Lambton County Council's February 2 meeting.
"We've been waiting four years for this withdrawal management centre," said Bradley. "In fairness to the government, they did bring about the funding for Ryan's House, which has been a big addition to the community, but we need that full time treatment facility."
Premier Doug Ford had promised funding for the long-planned facility in 2018, but Health Minister Christine Elliott said it was still something that was under “active discussion” in 2019.
