A Victoria Police officer on a regular morning patrol spotted an unconscious man lying on the sidewalk near the area of North Park and Quadra Streets early Thursday morning.
It was approximately 3:15 a.m.
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Upon inspection, the officer realized the man was overdosing on opioids and began first aid, including administering naloxone until Emergency Health Services arrived.
The man was revived.
ALSO READ: Victoria councillors push for access to safe drugs
In 2018, police officers administered naloxone 39 times to 24 people, saving 22 lives. In the same year, four people per day died of an opioid overdose across B.C.
Police are not the primary responders for overdose calls, a decision that came when it was decided that the overdose crisis was a health crisis, not a criminal one. However, they will respond to calls when needed or if the officers are close by.
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