The Saint John Police Department will be protecting its members from potential contamination to fentanyl by preventing accidental exposure to the drug.
Chief John Bates says fentanyl has made its appearance in New Brunswick and will certainly make an appearance in Saint John if it hasn’t already.
He says members will soon be outfitted with protective garments and equipment to avoid being accidentally contaminated.
Multiple police officers in the United States have overdosed within the last month after coming in contact with fentanyl.
Chief Bates says some strains of the drug can be absorbed through the skin and have an immediate, and potentially deadly, outcome.
He says the next question the police force has to answer is whether or not officers will carry the antidote for the drug on them in a first response scenario or just have it close by in case an officer comes in contact with the drug by accident.
