First South Wales Police Officer administers life-saving nasal Naloxone

The first South Wales Police officer has administered nasal naloxone, an emergency antidote for overdoses caused by heroin and other opiate or opioid substances. It works by reversing the breathing difficulties that can be brought on by an overdose of these substances, to buy time for an ambulance to arrive.

On April 14^th 2022, PCSOs were carrying out patrols as part of ‘cuckoo watch’; an initiative which aims to safeguard vulnerable people who may have been targeted by county lines drug dealers.

During these patrols, officers found a woman unresponsive from a suspected overdose and requested PC Kyle Scott, a carrier of the life saving drug, to assist. He administered one dose of Naloxone which successfully revived the woman. She remained alert until paramedics could reach her and provide the necessary care.

Following this, a further investigation led to the arrest, charge and remand of a 21-year-old man from Birmingham for Class A drug trafficking offences where drugs, thousands of pounds of cash and a ‘burner phone’ was located.

Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Lynne Neagle said: “Since 2009 the Welsh Government has funded the distribution of naloxone and is a key part of our work in reducing the harms associated with substance misuse. The news of someone’s life being saved is exactly the reason why we continue to make these investments and highlights why it’s important police carry naloxone to further assist in reducing drug related deaths in Wales.

I want to pay tribute to PC Kyle Scott and his colleagues for their swift action.”

Police & Crime Commissioner Alun Michael said:

“The impact of drugs on those who sadly struggle with substance misuse, their families and entire communities is enormous, which is why we are working tirelessly with partners to tackle the problem in a number of different ways. In doing so,it’s important to remember that those struggling with addiction are often victims themselves, which is why it’s so important to intervene at the earliest opportunity, offer effective support and endeavour to break the cycle of harm.

“Sir Robert Peel identified that one of the core responsibilities of the police service is to protect and preserve life; here we see a clear example of officers from South Wales Police using Naloxone to prevent an avoidable death, provide an opportunity for support and offer a vital pathway away from drug related harm.  The swift actions of PC Scott serve to illustrate that police officers are often first on the scene of potentially life-threatening situations and I am extremely pleased that he was trained and equipped to use Naloxone, preventing what could otherwise have been a much more serious incident.”

Detective Superintendent Gareth Morgan said:

“PC Scott should be extremely proud of himself for being the first officer to administer Naloxone to a person in need.

“By carrying this tool, officers have access to a crucial harm reduction tool that can prevent drug related deaths and the knock-on effects that this has to families and communities.

“The woman who received this dose of Naloxone has now been referred to harm reduction services for further treatment and intervention, giving her the chance to rebuild her life.”