Police Officers’ Views of Naloxone and Drug Treatment: Does Greater Overdose Response Lead to More Negativity?

Abstract

Police officers and emergency personnel are on the frontlines of the opioid crisis. This research examines police officer attitudes about naloxone administration, drug treatment, and their role in handling drug-related incidents through an online survey. Although officers view themselves as adequately trained in administering naloxone/Narcan, almost half (43%) believe there should be a limit on how often someone who overdoses receives Narcan and the majority (83%) view naloxone/Narcan as providing an excuse to continue drug use. Officers also view drug treatment as ineffective. Negative attitudes differed as a function of frequency of overdose responses; officers who responded to more overdose calls and administered naloxone more frequently demonstrate more pessimistic attitudes toward drug treatment and the use of naloxone/Narcan. Officers more frequently exposed to drug overdoses need education and training about drug addiction issues to decrease stigma and elicit greater empathy toward people struggling with addiction.

A Preliminary Assessment of Stigma in Law Enforcement Officers’ Responses to Opioid Overdoses

“…For instance, Wagner et al (2016) found that officers reported positive attitudinal changes after receiving training on overdose and naloxone administration. However, more recently, Murphy and Russell (2020) reported that many police officers that administered naloxone frequently suffered from “compassion fatigue” and held stigmatizing attitudes toward persons who use opioids. Furthermore, a study conducted by Lowder and colleagues (2020) in Indianapolis indicated that individuals who experienced a police response to an overdose in which naloxone was administered were more likely to be arrested following the dispatch and had more subsequent nonfatal overdoses in the 2 years after the police administered the naloxone than individuals who had an EMT response and naloxone administration.…”

“…Prior research has indicated that stigma may be one barrier to combating the opioid epidemic (Kruis & Choi, 2020; Kruis et al, 2020; Murphy & Russell, 2020). In fact, Formica and Colleagues (2018) argued that provider-based stigma among police officers may be the biggest barrier to implementing “deflection” programs where law enforcement officers serve as a connecting point between persons who experience an overdose and treatment providers in Massachusetts.…”

“…Furthermore, qualitative research suggests that some health care professionals may perceive certain types of drug-using patients (e.g., intravenous drug users) as more dangerous than other patients, and that this belief impacts the quality of care they are willing to provide to such patients (Henderson et al, 2008; Peckover & Chidlaw, 2007). Regarding professionals in the criminal justice system, more recent work has found that police officers (Kruis et al, 2020; Murphy & Russell, 2020) and students enrolled in criminology courses (Kruis & Choi, 2020) perceive opioid users as dangerous persons. Furthermore, Murphy and Russell’s (2020) work shows that this belief also may be negatively associated with officers’ attitudes toward substance use treatment.…”

“…Regarding professionals in the criminal justice system, more recent work has found that police officers (Kruis et al, 2020; Murphy & Russell, 2020) and students enrolled in criminology courses (Kruis & Choi, 2020) perceive opioid users as dangerous persons. Furthermore, Murphy and Russell’s (2020) work shows that this belief also may be negatively associated with officers’ attitudes toward substance use treatment.…”

“…Unfortunately, not all departments have developed such policies, and many officers have reported negative feelings toward harm-reduction strategies (Beletsky et al, 2005; Burris et al, 2009; Green et al, 2013; Saunders et al, 2019). Prior research suggests that stigma may be one barrier to overcome to fully implement harm-reduction policies in the criminal justice system and to combat the opioid epidemic (Formica et al, 2018; Kruis & Choi, 2020; Kruis et al, 2020; Murphy & Russell, 2020). However, the available research on provider-based stigma in the system is scant, and the NIJ (2019) has suggested that more research needs to be conducted on the use of law enforcement personnel as entry points into treatment for substance using persons.…”