Although Windsor's police chief has repeatedly resisted calls for officers to carry naloxone, the city councillor in Ward 9 wants to know why.
Kieran McKenzie will ask his council colleagues Monday night to support his call for an in-depth analysis weighing the pros, cons, and financial implications of first-responders carrying the kits that are known to save lives.
He said, so far, the debate has been one-sided.
"There are many people in this community, and in communities across Ontario, Canada and all of North America that do have their first-responders start carrying these kits in the field. I would argue it is a best practice," said McKenzie. "We need information."
As for whether McKenzie is using his question to open the door to debate in the council chamber about it, he insisted not yet.
"My gut tells me this is something that I would like to see happen, but I don't want to prejudge where my position will go until I have a full report from the people who are much more knowledgeable about these issues than I am," he said.
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On Wednesday, the Public Health Agency of Canada reported that 9,000 Canadian lives were lost to opioid-related overdoses in the period between January 2016 and June 2018. The next day, Public Health Ontario released data showing 16 Windsor-Essex residents have died of opioid-related causes in the first half of this year.
"We need to respond," McKenzie said. "There is a clear public health crisis that is happening in our community and in communities across Canada. It is incumbent upon the individuals who have the opportunities to address these issues, to make informed, but effective public policy choices that can mitigate some of the things that are happening in our community."
Overdose deaths and overdoses have risen dramatically in Windsor over the last five years. Nov 13, 2018. (Photo by Paul Pedro)
In November, Police Chief Al Frederick responded after four overdose deaths in one weekend and renewed calls for officers to carry naloxone or Narcan nasal spray.
"I've seen a number of news articles that are saying there's a new opioid on the streets that is resistant to Naloxone. What happens when there's another drug and another antidote that they want police to carry? We are on a slippery slope there," he told reporters.
What is left unsaid is liability concerns. What happens if an officer is unable to revive a person suffering an overdose?
McKenzie anticipates an answer to that question as well.
"I look forward to it coming up because I want to understand how other communities have been addressing and considered the issue of liability," he admitted.
Last month, Frederick said no officers in Canada or the U.S. have been cross-contaminated by opioids while responding to overdose calls, and the Special Investigations Unit has said it will not subject overdose deaths to an investigation.
Meanwhile, McKenzie believes his council colleagues will support his call for a study on the matter.
"There is not one person that I've talked to so far that is not concerned," he said.
