Police use Narcan to revive Brookfield man

RIVERSIDE - Police used to Narcan early Tuesday morning to save the life of an 18-year-old Brookfield man who reportedly overdosed on heroin.

Police found the unresponsive man at 4:02 a.m. in the rear seat of a car parked in front of the police station. Officers determined that the man was unconscious due to a drug overdose and administered two doses of Narcan, a drug used to temporarily reverse the effects of opioid medications.

When paramedics arrived shortly after to continue lifesaving efforts, the man was revived on the scene and transported to MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn for follow up care.

“The Narcan used by police personnel on scene was funded by a generous donation from a Riverside resident,” Police Chief Tom Weitzel said in a statement. “I am so thankful that a compassionate resident was able to help fund this lifesaving program. On Tuesday, it absolutely worked to save a life.”

Weitzel said the lifesaving actions taken by police put them in danger because of the COVID-19 epidemic.

“At a time when the Governor of Illinois has put an executive order into place with a stay-at- home order, it angers me that during a national crisis that an individual would get into a vehicle, ingest drugs and then drive around the suburbs,” Weitzel said.

“These actions placed police officers at a greater risk because they had direct contact with someone whose medical condition was unknown except for the overdose. Police officers had to immediately put on their PPE, including gloves, masks and eye protection, to administer the Narcan. In this particular case, even though they were able to save this man’s life, he directly put police and fire personnel at a greater risk of danger.”

This is the second time within five weeks that Riverside police deployed Narcan on the street. The first time was April 14 when officers administered Narcan at a crash scene at Harlem and Ogden avenues.