Winnebago County Officers Taking Steps To Prevent Heroin Overdoses [AUDIO]

Jim Anderson -- Illinois Radio Network

Police departments are taking steps to prevent heroin overdoses.

Winnebago County Sheriff Richard Meyers says his officers are going to start carrying Narcan, a drug that can reverse the symptoms of an overdose in a few easy steps.

“It’s all about saving lives. We’ve experienced a tremendous amount of heroin overdose deaths in our county over the last few years,” he said. Meyers says his officers are getting trained on how to use Narcan, hoping to stop the effects of heroin before a user dies:

Deputies from Winnebago County and police departments in South Beloit, Rockton and Cherry Valley are getting trained on how to use Narcan this week.  Once training is complete, the officers will carry two syringes of the medicine with them while they patrol.

More than 50 people died from heroin overdoses in Winnebago County last year.