OFFICERS in the Forth Valley are now equipped with potentially life-saving treatment which can reverse the effects of a drug overdose.

The roll-out of Naloxone has been completed in Police Scotland's Forth Valley Division with nearly 500 pouches distributed to operational officers up to and including the rank of Inspector.

Naloxone works by reversing the respiratory suppression caused by opioids or opiates and can buy the casualty critical minutes until ambulance clinicians arrive on scene.

Officers have been undertaking online training before receiving the kits as an extension of their existing first aid training.

Training and issuing of kit across the country to all operational officers is expected to be completed early in 2023.

Chief Superintendent Alan Gibson, divisional commander for Forth Valley, said: “Our commitment to safeguarding the public extends to preventing, if possible, the death of anyone found to be suffering the effects of a drug overdose on the occasions when police are the first emergency service in attendance.

“Our operational officers are now trained in how to administer Naloxone and carry it as part of their standard issue equipment, having been one of the divisions to initially trial the use of Naloxone.

“The carriage of Naloxone means that officers are equipped with this life-saving treatment, with the aim of reducing the number of drug-related deaths within Forth Valley.”

The carriage of Naloxone nasal sprays was piloted last year as part of a public health approach to addressing the country’s drug death rates.

Since then, the intra-nasal sprays have been used in at least 95 incidents by officers, with positive outcomes on all but four occasions.

In three of the four incidents, officers suspected the individual was already deceased, however, they administered Naloxone to give the casualty every possible chance at recovery.

In the fourth instance the individual did not regain consciousness and later died in hospital.

The circumstances leading to Naloxone administrations by police have been varied and have included incidents where officers have discovered unconscious casualties during patrols, or being alerted to an overdose by a member of the public.

Other incidents have involved people in police custody, during police Public Order incidents and the execution of a search warrant.

Naloxone has also been administered to people intending to complete suicide.

Nearly 4,000 officers are both trained and equipped with Naloxone or are due to take the online training in the coming weeks.