Orlando changes how officers handle opiods after Ohio officer almost dies

Officers no longer testing opiods in field

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Police Department is no longer allowing officers to field test substances believed to be heroin after an officer in Ohio overdosed while arresting two people on drug charges last week.

Police said the Ohio officer nearly died because the synthetic opiod fentanyl touched his skin.

After that near deadly incident in Ohio, Orlando Deputy Chief Robert Anzueto sent a memo to all employees advising them of the change.

"We saw that story, we said we have to make a decision on moving forward," Anzueto said.

Fentanyl deaths increased by almost 140 percent in 2016 compared to the first half of 2015, according to the 2016 Florida Medical Examiners report. Fentanyl was the No. 1 drug-related killer in 2016, the report said.

"Effective immediately, any officer who contacts a suspect with a substance believed to be heroin shall not conduct any presumptive field tests," the memo reads.

In the past, if an officer suspected a substance was a narcotic, they had test kits that allowed them to test it immediately. Because of the potency of fentenyl and other opiods, the deputy chief want officers to limit their contact.

"The number one priority in all of this is our officers safety," Anzueto said.

Police said fentanyl is often sold as heroin, but is much more potent. It is so dangerous and spreading around the country so fast, the Drug Enforcement Administration made a video warning police and emergency responders of the risks. 

The Orlando Police Department quickly took action. 

The memo sent to officers advises how the drug should be handled: "...suspected heroin will be safely handled using gloves, and a mask, and properly packaged," the memo reads.

The substance will then be sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for testing.           

"We don't want to put our officers at risk by touching this suspected substance and falling ill from it," Anzueto told News 6.

The turnaround time to get test results from FDLE is between 30-60 days. 

If the test comes back positive, an arrest warrant will be obtained for the suspect.

When asked if the extra time it could take to arrest someone on drug charges posed a risk to the community, Anzueto said, "No."  He added that the policy is what is best for his officers.

The policy change is temporary.  Department heads will meet with representatives of other agencies, including FDLE, to come up with "best practices" for officers and a permanent policy regarding the handling of opiods.


About the Author:

Emmy Award-winning reporter Louis Bolden joined the News 6 team in September of 2001 and hasn't gotten a moment's rest since. Louis has been a General Assignment Reporter for News 6 and Weekend Morning Anchor. He joined the Special Projects/Investigative Unit in 2014.

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