United States Drug Enforcement Administration

PHILADELPHIA - Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Tuggle of the DEA Philadelphia Field Division announced today that DEA will train members of the Hermitage Police Department in Mercer County on the use of Naloxone that was purchased for them through funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol (DDAP). 

In 2015, 3,383 people died from a drug-related overdose in Pennsylvania, including 18 in Mercer County, with heroin and the presence of at least one synthetic opioid were reported in 81 percent of these deaths.  Naloxone is a medication used to reverse the effects of a known or suspected overdose from prescription opioids and illegal opioids.  

As part of the DEA’s ongoing 360 Strategy in Western Pennsylvania, the DEA will train and certify all 30 members of the Hermitage Police Department on the use of Naloxone and other aspects of tactical medicine on March 15-16. Naloxone was purchased through DDAP funding available to law enforcement agencies in every county across Pennsylvania. 

“In an effort to save lives during the worst drug crisis in our history, every law enforcement agency across the Commonwealth should train and equip their officers on the use of Naloxone,” said Tuggle.  “We are partnering with DDAP to provide this training, and encourage all those law enforcement departments not yet carrying Naloxone to reach out to DDAP to find out about training and Naloxone available to them.”

“We appreciate the partnership with DEA to help educate and train local police officers about the need for and use of Naloxone,” said Jennifer Smith, Acting Secretary of DDAP. “Through these efforts we are preventing deaths and providing opportunities for overdose survivors to seek the treatment they need.”

“Local police have always had a close working relationship with the DEA due to our respective and sometimes overlapping drug enforcement missions,” said Chief Eric Jewell of the Hermitage Police Department. “I truly appreciate the Naloxone training our federal law enforcement partners have offered to provide my officers as I know it will save lives locally.” 

Members of the media wanting additional information about this training or the 360 Strategy are asked to contact DEA Public Information Officer/Special Agent Patrick J. Trainor at (215) 852-8740 or patrick.j.trainor@usdoj.gov.