Officers used naloxone to save more than 500 overdoses in Springfield

Springfield PD Narcan program hits 5 year mark

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Access to naloxone has helped save thousands of people who were suffering from a potentially fatal opioid overdose.

The Springfield Police Department (SPD) has been using the medication since March 19, 2019, applying the drug 552 times in overdose situations.

According to the SPD, directions on how to administer naloxone are taught to officers during police academy training and annually at in-service training. The drug is attached to the automated external defibrillator (AED) in every SPD marked, unmarked and undercover car, and is available to all officers at other locations city-wide.

“Implementing the Narcan program was one of my first initiatives when named acting Commission in February 2019,” said Superintendent Cheryl Clapprood. “Our officers have saved more than 550 lives in our community in the past five years which speaks to both the success of the program, but also to the extent of the opioid crisis.  As more heroin and other drugs become laced with the deadly opioid fentanyl, it is imperative that we continue to do our part in fighting this epidemic.” 

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) statistics show that in 2022 there were over 2300 confirmed opioid‐related deaths compared to 733 in 2012, and 2005 deaths in 2019 when the SPD first started using naloxone.