POTTSVILLE -- It's not a gun or a badge, but the Pottsville police department's new tool can save someone's life.
It's is an overdose protection rescue kit which includes a drug called Naloxone, also known as Narcan. It can help reverse the effects of an opiate overdose from drugs such as heroin.
Pottsville officers took hands-on and online training to be able to administer the drug properly, but the chief says his officers probably won't use it often.
Police plan to use the drug only if they get to an overdose call before EMS.
"This is another tool that we can have at our disposal that we can provide to the citizens," said Pottsville Police Chief Richard Wojciechowsky.
There will now be one of those kits in every Pottsville police vehicle.
The chief says this is just another way to serve the community when they need it.
"The treatment phase is vital for us to give that service to our community in conjunction with the enforcement phase," said Wojciechowsky.
People who live in Pottsville say heroin is a problem in the city. Tanya Viars says maybe Narcan can help save someone and that person can get help in the future.
"It all depends on how fast they can get there and how fast they can save someone's life," said Viars.
The drug works kind of like a nose spray and each kit costs $100.
