FAIRFAX, Va. 鈥� The Fairfax County police said an officer had to go to the hospital for treatment after coming into contact with an opioid substance while responding to an overdose call.
鈥淥ne of our police officers responded to a call for service for a man passed out in a vehicle in a parking lot,鈥� Fairfax County Police Chief Ed Roessler told WTOP, 鈥渁nd unfortunately, that man overdosed on heroin.鈥�
In many cases, including this one, 鈥渢he heroin is so powerful, even contact with it by a law enforcement officer sends that officer to the hospital,鈥� he says.
Police said officers were called to parking lot in the 8100 block of Watson Street in Tysons just after noon Oct. 17.
Roessler said incidents such as this are becoming far too common: 鈥淭his happened in Fairfax County. It鈥檚 happened in other cities and counties throughout the United States.鈥�
When it comes to the opioid crisis, 鈥淲e as public safety officers 鈥� or fire and rescue 鈥� we are having to deal with this issue as the tip of the spear,鈥� he says.
