Palos Park Police Save Man from Heroin Overdose

PALOS PARK, IL — Palos Park police on Monday evening used their newly acquired training to administer a heroin antidote and save the life of 24-year-old man.

The man's mother called 911 to report that her son had overdosed, and officers arrived on the scene to find the man in his bedroom with the needle still in his arm, police said.

Sergeant Chris Hughes gave the man a dose of Naloxone—also know as Narcan—to get him breathing again. The man regained consciousness before he was taken by the Palos Fire Protection District to Palos community Hospital.

Palos Park police only recently received training to use Narcan as part of a program led by Cook County Commissioner Sean M. Morrison.

When an officer encounters someone suffering from an opioid overdose they can administer naloxone and stay with the person until medics arrive.

“This is a momentous development in the battle against heroin addiction and will definitely help save lives,” said Police Commissioner Dan Polk, of the program.