ARVIN, Calif. (KERO) — Chief of Police Alex Ghazalpour told 23ABC more about recent overdose cases and what they're doing to address the use of opioids.
- Video shows how Arvin first responders are handling substance abuse in the community.
- In the last two weeks, Arvin PD responded to three cases involving substance abuse—and in two of those cases, officers had to use Narcan.
- Ghazalpour added that Narcan is accessible in several locations in the community including the PD, library, schools and transit units.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
As the use of opioids are on the rise, we're taking a closer look at how those trends are impacting rural communities. Chief of Police Alex Ghazalpour told me more about recent overdose cases and what they're doing to address the use of opioids.
"Fetanyl is deadly," stated Ghazalpour. "A microgram of fentanyl can cause someone to go into respiratory arrest and when you're in respiratory arrest for a prolonged period of time, you're going to go in a cardiac arrest."
Ghazalpour told me that during the last two weeks, Arvin PD responded to three cases involving substance abuse—and in two of those cases, officers had to use narcan.
The first case involved a 22-year-old woman who was unconscious in the passenger seat of a car. And the second involved a 15-year-old boy who was unresponsive at the local Taco Bell.
In both cases, Ghazalpour says officers administered narcan—a nasal spray that reverses the effects of opioid overdose— allowing the individuals to regain consciousness.
Ghazalpour added that in situations like these, time is critical.
"Typically, narcan needs to be administered when someone is breathing—does have a pulse—it becomes more effective because it can work through the system a lot faster," explained the Chief of Police.
He added that after gaining consciousness, both people received medical attention and were later released. "If narcan wasn't accessible—we don't know what could've happened."
The third case, he said involved another 15-year-old boy who was under the influence and carrying an unregistered firearm at the park. According to officers, his symptoms were not related to opioid abuse, so narcan was not administered.
Ghazalpour told 23ABC he is in the process of working with a crime analyst to determine trends of the use of opioids in Arvin—but he said it's an issue that could impact anyone in the community.
"It is a deadly epidemic that's out there," he said, "And we need to be educated enough to 1) be away from it 2)know what to do if our loved one is experiencing that and 3)ask for that help."
Ghazalpour added that narcan is accessible in several locations in the community including the PD, library, schools and transit units.
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