How Edmonton police are protecting themselves from fentanyl

Police officers in Edmonton are having to take precautionary measures to ensure they don’t come into contact with deadly new drugs, like fentanyl.

Staff Sgt. Karen Ockerman works in the Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement Unit (EDGE) and was asked to speak to the police commission about the dangers of fentanyl and other opioids.

“I would suggest that it’s very widespread. It goes through all levels of society and that’s why it’s a big issue.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I would suggest that it's very widespread. It goes through all levels of society and that's why it's a big issue.

“It’s not just the typical drug abusers that are being affected by this. I think that’s why it’s such a concern. It’s hitting every household – a lot of people are being affected by it.”

READ MORE: Fentanyl overdose paralyzes Calgary teen: ‘he has a life sentence now’ 

Although 2016 fatality numbers for fentanyl overdoses in Alberta have not yet been released, anecdotally investigators are seizing more and more opioids off the streets – and therefore, their odds of coming into contact with the drugs are also increasing.

“It’s as simple as walking into a house, there’s powder on the table. You brush against it unknowingly in your first entry point. Or you’re dealing with a sudden death and that body is contaminated because it’s been exposed to that drug,” Deputy Chief Brian Simpson said.

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“Those were not issues in the past to the same degree we’re seeing now.”

READ MORE: Fentanyl fact sheet – what it is and what it does

One of the tools police in Edmonton have at their disposal to protect themselves is Tru Narc drug analyzers. Tru Narcs help give officers an idea of what drugs they’re dealing with in the field. But Ockerman said they can’t keep up with the constantly changing chemical composition of new drugs.

“It’s not like it’s a pill that says ‘fentanyl’ or what have you. It comes in all kinds of different colours, shapes. You just don’t know what you have to deal with,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's not like it's a pill that says 'fentanyl' or what have you. It comes in all kinds of different colours, shapes. You just don't know what you have to deal with," she said.

Another option that’s more accurate? Ion scanners.

“There are devices we could use to identify and make it safer, and help our investigations – and of course they are very expensive,” Ockerman explained.

READ MORE: Edmonton police officers to carry naloxone spray 

Members of the EDGE unit are also equipped with naloxone kits, to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, should a member suffer from second-hand exposure.

The police service is currently looking into whether officers should administer naloxone to members of the public and whether every officer should carry a kit.

“They’ve never had to be handing out medications in the street like this before,” Ockerman said. “This is brand new for us and for every agency.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "They've never had to be handing out medications in the street like this before," Ockerman said. "This is brand new for us and for every agency.

“It is groundbreaking. So, learning the best way to deal with it, and to make sure that we’re protected and the public is. There’s a lot of nuances with this.”

READ MORE: Stolen car leads to one of Alberta’s largest fentanyl seizures: ALERT 

At this point, no officers in Edmonton have been impacted by second-hand drug exposure, though it has happened in British Columbia.

Chief Rod Knecht said these new drugs are just as dangerous as guns.

“In most cases, people don’t know they’re taking it. That, I think, is the issue. It’s being used as a cutting agent for heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, a lot of other drugs because it’s cheap and it’s easy to manufacture.”