SIU probes two deadly overdoses where Peel cops administered Naloxone
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The province’s Special Investigations Unit has opened its second death investigation into police administering the opioid antidote Naloxone to the ire of police unions.
On Thursday evening, Peel Regional Police responded to a medical assistance call in Mississauga.
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Officers performed CPR and Naloxone nasal spray was administered, but the 45-year-old man died at the scene.
On March 12, Peel cops responded to a medical call in Brampton and a 36-year-old man died after having CPR and being given Naloxone.
The SIU — which probes any death, serious injury or alleged sexual assault involving officers — invoked its mandate to investigate in both cases.
“It’s a horrible thing when you are using a life-saving technique and someone passes away,” said Adrian Woolley, president of the Peel Regional Police Association.
“You can’t overdose on Naloxone. (These SIU investigations) cause undue stress on officers and are a waste of manpower. We are fine with oversight, but here are no investigations when a firefighter or paramedic administers Naloxone (and the person dies).”
The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police has requested that deaths occurring when an officer administers Naloxone be exempt from SIU investigations — as they are in B.C.
“Overdose deaths where Naloxone was administered or attempted to be administered by a police officer, with no other police interaction causing or contributing to a person’s death or medical crisis are not SIU matters,” Byran Larkin, president of the OACP, wrote in a letter to the SIU early this year.
SIU Director Tony Loparco responded saying investigations into such Naloxone cases fall under the police watchdog’s mandate just like other cases of medical intervention by cops.
He said police have a legal obligation to notify the SIU of such cases.
Loparco rejected the idea that officers may be discouraged from administering Naloxone fearing investigation.
At a recent Toronto Police Services Board meeting, Chief Mark Saunders said SIU investigations into Naloxone cases would be, “organizationally significant and detrimental to our members.”
The Toronto Police Association is lobbying the government and SIU to have the Naloxone treated similar to jurisdictions such as B.C.
“When there is a medical complaint, many times we are the first responders,” Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormick said.
“If there is no precursor to us being there, the SIU shouldn’t evoke,” he said. “It’s a waste of time and resources.”
There were 186 opioid-related deaths in Toronto in 2016.
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