Heroin, meth, cocaine, and oxy…These are some of the household names of the most common drugs that cause death from overdose. Now local police officers will be able to take advantage of another drug, to help prevent overdose.

Naloxone is the life saving medication used to treat narcotics overdose in emergency situations. The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office and Winder Police Department are about to become a lot more familiar with Naloxone, through the introduction of Project DAN. The Medical Association of Georgia Foundation sponsors Project DAN, or Deaths Avoided by Naloxone. The project equips Georgia police officers with Naloxone, and trains them how to use it. The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office and the Winder PD begin their training tomorrow on how to recognize overdosed symptoms, and how to administer Naloxone.

These law enforcement officers are the first in Barrow County to start this program. Lt. Chris Cooper of the Winder PD said, “A lot of the equipment that law enforcement carries, we hope and pray that we never have to use. But its that old saying its better to have it and not need it then not have it”.

Pharmaceuticals expert Dr. Randall Tackett says teaching law enforcers how to use Nalaxone drug will definiltely help officers assist overdosed citizens.

“The drug works extremely well. If you ever see someone who has a narcotic overdose, and when you inject the Narcan (Naloxone), its like turning on a light switch. I mean they basically come back really quickly”.

By this Friday Cooper says every officer on the force will know how to administer the drug.