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Two‐year outcomes following naloxone administration by police officers or emergency medical services personnel
Lowder, E. M., Lawson, S. G., O'Donnell, D., Sightes, E., & Ray, B. R. (2020). Two‐year outcomes following naloxone administration by police officers or emergency medical services personnel. Criminology & Public Policy, 19(3), 1019-1040. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.12509
Research Summary We conducted a retrospective, quasi-experimental study of a police naloxone program to examine individual outcomes following nonfatal overdose where either police (n = 111) or emergency medical services (n = 1,229) provided a first response and administered naloxone. Individuals who received a police response were more likely to be arrested immediately following initial dispatch and had more instances of repeat nonfatal overdose two years following dispatch; there were no differences in rearrest or death rates. Findings suggest police naloxone programs may increase short-term incarceration risk, but we found little evidence overall of long-term adverse effects. Policy Implications Naloxone is a tool to reduce fatal opioid-involved overdose. Its provision alone does not constitute a comprehensive agency response to the opioid epidemic. Findings support the need for standardized policies and procedures to guide emergency responses to nonfatal overdose events and ensure consistency across agencies.
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