The Ontario police are investigating the 3rd death in Peel Region that involves the officers. These officers administered the naloxone which is an anti-overdose medication.
Further investigation
A 50-year-old man was declared dead in the hospital after Peel Regional Police officers performed first aid at a house on Main Street in Brampton.
According to the SIU or the Special Investigations Unit stated in news that police officers received a call from a house around 11 p.m. they found a man already unconscious and tried to resuscitate the man. They provided CPR and administered naloxone.
The superintendent for Peel Region Paramedic Services, Jay Szymanski said that policemen arrived in the area before the paramedics. They were already providing CPR on the victim when the paramedics took over the treatment. The paramedics immediately brought the victim to the hospital for further treatment but eventually proclaimed dead in the hospital.
In the previous months the Special Investigation Unit investigated two separate death incidents involving Peel police administering naloxone to both victims. The SIU terminated the investigations on both cases. According to the SIU, the police officers did not contribute to the two deaths.
The Peel police officers have been carrying the medication, naloxone in the form of a nasal spray for several years. According to the president of the Peel Regional Police Association, Adrian Wooley, investigation on such cases are very unnecessary. The investigation causes severe stress on the officers who are only acting in good faith. They are exposed to criminal liability by saving lives.
The spokesperson for SIU, Monica Hudon stated in news that cases that involves police officers fall under the jurisdiction of the SIU. They are given authority to investigate any incident that resulted to injuries or death. If a naloxone was administered or provided first aid or CPR and the victim sustain severe injuries or died, that incident is under the jurisdiction of the SIU.
According to the spokesperson for the attorney general’s ministry stated in an email that government has revised a law governing the SIU that it will not investigate any cases or incidents that involves police officer that are trying to save lives by giving naloxone in a specified circumstances. The police are still required by law to inform the SIU of incidents where police are involved in the death or injuries of the victim.
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LEARN MORE
Learn how to help by enrolling in a first aid course and for more information, check out these sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitation
https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/cardiopulmonary-resuscitation-cpr-treatment
https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-cpr/basics/art-20056600