FALMOUTH – As police departments across the country continue to battle the ongoing opioid epidemic, Falmouth police have been sticking to a policy that fights overdoses with treatment.
Falmouth Police Chief Ed Dunne updated selectmen at a June 3 meeting, reporting that 32 people had overdosed in the town from March through May, resulting in six deaths.
“The police department has ‘narcaned’ 12 individuals. Police have served 41 Section 35’s,” Dunne said.
In that three month time period, the department conducted 13 home visits. During a home visit, the policy of the Falmouth Police Department is to attempt to connect the victim to treatment services.
“Home visits, we’ve done 13, and people who have accepted treatment total 12. Eight have gone into detox, three in out-patient and one in 12-step program,” added Dunne.
“These people didn’t accept the initial help, but after the home visits they thought about it or talked to other people, and then reached out to representatives to get help. So, we’re going to continue with that program, because it is working.”
While the policy offers victims a source of treatment, Chief Dunne says not every circumstance allows the department to conduct this type of home visit. He says in some cases the overdose victim is homeless, while in other cases they’re from out of town.
“Several people we were unable to locate because they are either homeless or living out of town,” said Dunne.
“We also share the information, if they are out of town, with other communities. Most of the police departments on the Cape and in southeastern Massachusetts do have programs where they do home visits, so that’s why we share that information.”
Between March 1 and May 31, the Falmouth Police Department responded to 5,675 total calls.
By TIM DUNN, CapeCod.com News Center
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