LYNCHBURG, Va. – Lynchburg police officers are typically the first to help at the scene of an overdose call. Right now, officers don't have the one thing they need to save a life and that’s naloxone.
"Our officers have been in situations where they've been with a citizen who's been exposed to an opioid or overdose, where had they had Narcan they could've administered it a little more quickly. Obviously the fire department responds to a lot of these things. Again, we're talking about the difference between life and death could mean seconds,” Maj. Ryan Zuidema said.
The Lynchburg Police Foundation was just reactivated a year ago. The group made up of various community members launched a membership fundraising campaign to help get every cop on the street one of these.
“Finances generated through those memberships will be used to help pay for this,” said Paul Whitten, president of Lynchburg Police Foundation.
The Lynchburg police budget is $17 million. Eighty-five percent of that is spent on salary and benefits, and 12 percent goes toward equipment. This leaves very little room for the $17,400 needed to give each officer a box of naloxone.
"As things come up that aren't budgeted for in the middle of the budget year. The foundation has been great to be able to step in and provide funding for whether it be equipment or things like Narcan to provide safety and protection for our officers at the end of the day,” Zuidema said
The foundation is looking to raise about $12,500 and hope by the end of the year to have all 174 officers carrying the drug. For more information on how to help go to the Lynchburg Police Foundation Facebook page.