The Phoenix Police Department has begun training and certifying patrol officers in how to use an opioid overdose reversal drug.

The police department was the largest law enforcement agency in Arizona with officers who didn't carry the opioid overdose reversal drug. By April, the agency had distributed Narcan kits— a nasal spray form of naloxone— to 100 specialty officers out of approximately 2,900 sworn officers.

Now, through a grant from the Arizona Department of Health Services, the department received 1,800 doses of Narcan for its officers, a press release states.

Officials say the Phoenix police patrol and downtown operations units will be the first to receive the training as part of the wider rollout. Officers in the airport and transit bureaus will follow.

"We don’t want another person to lose their life because of opioids and if the Phoenix Police Department can make a difference and stop that from happening, that is our objective, that is our goal," said Sgt. Tommy Thompson.

He added the training is expected to be completed for officers with first responder assignments by August.

The agency's current academy class and all recruits in the future will also receive the training, the press release states.

The training focuses on identifying the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose and administering the drug, the press release states.

There have been 19,070 naloxone kits ordered for 116 law enforcement agencies in Arizona since June 2017, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Overall, there were 13,762 doses administered between June 15, 2017, and July 4, 2019, by police, health workers and other emergency responders, according to the health agency.

Reach the reporter at chelsea.curtis@arizonarepublic.com or follow her on Twitter @curtis_chels.

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