The Guelph Police Association is calling for a change in the way officers are investigated after administering naloxone to victims suffering from an overdose.
The province’s Special Investigations Unit recently cleared an officer after he tried to save a man from a suspected opioid overdose.
Guelph Police were called to an apartment building on Waterloo and Beachwood Avenues on July 21 for a suspected opioid overdose.
They say an officer performed CPR and his naloxone spray was used, but the 49-year-old Guelph man was pronounced dead by paramedics.
Guelph Police say anytime they administer CPR or naloxone to save a life they are subject to an investigation by the SIU, but they say this needs to change.
“We need to stop this costly, stressful, unnecessary, and unfair practice,” said Matt Jotham the President of the Guelph Police Association.
Chris Lewis, CTV’s public safety analyst, agrees with the Guelph Police.
"They're trying to honestly save a life and then they have an SIU investigating hanging over their head, when that fails where's the criminal intent in there,” said Lewis.
The SIU is currently investigating another incident that took place at Guelph Central Station earlier in July.
In that case police say an officer used naloxone on a 28-year-old man who later died in hospital. That investigation is still ongoing.
The SIU says they have launched a total of eight cases province wide, involving the use of a police officer's naloxone.
“You know, it’s disappointing we are trying to do the best job we can,” said Jotham.
Last week the OPP's association president made a similar call for change.
There are suggestions the province take a look at British Columbia, where their version of the SIU exempts officers who are unsuccessful, when they deploy life saving measures like naloxone.
