22 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: SEPTEMBER 2017 Police K-9s at risk of overdose T here are tre- mendous risks that law en- forcement of- ficers face both on the job and off. This is also true for four-legged law enforcement personnel – better known as K-9s. Police K-9s face danger not just from the suspects that they chase but also from the risk of injury or death from exposure to the powerful narcotics that are wreaking havoc on the United States. As a result of this risk, some forward-thinking agencies and officers are doing what they can to minimize risk and prepare for the worst-case scenari- os. According to a recent article in The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore County Police Officer Stephen Roesler spends more time with his 85-pound German shep- herd than he does with any humans – even his own family. With the river of new synthetic opioids like fen- tanyl out there, Roesler said it’s critical that cops understand what to do if the animal gets exposed to the drugs. In some agencies in Maryland, law enforce- ment agencies have been training officers in their K-9 units on how to administer Narcan (naxolone) to their dogs should they come in contact with the deadly drugs while sniffing for narcotics. The good news is that giving a dog the life-saving drug is very similar to giv- ing it to a human. Narcan is administered nasally, in the same way and with the same dosage used for humans. K-9 officers now carry two vials of Narcan with them, while other patrol officers hold just one. “These dogs, partnered with their handlers, are in many ways considered police officers themselves,” Lt. Joseph Peach, com- mander of the county’s K-9 unit, told reporters. “Dogs need to be able to get medi- cal treatment the same way a police officer does.” Paul McNamara is a New York-based veterinarian who runs ODIN’s Fund, a non-profit that provides first aid training to K-9 units across the country. “These dogs are on the front line,” McNamara said. “They’re the ones going into the car and sniffing for drugs, the ones we’re using to combat this epidemic. … I don’t want to meet a handler whose dog passed away, who we could’ve po- tentially saved if we’d only been more proactive.” While there hasn’t been a K-9 overdose in Maryland yet, it’s great to see agen- cies, officers and others getting out in front of the threat. • Removes weight of duty belt off hips and lower back • Enables you to perform at maximum standards • Helps keep shirt tucked in during physical activity • No need to adjust duty belt when exiting vehicle • No need to hold duty belt when engaging in foot pursuits No more back pain The Back Defender is the only concealed belt suspension system approved for police duty WWW"ACK$EFENSE3YSTEMSCOM   (or)