Understanding Police Involvement at Opioid Overdose Incidents Through Body-Worn Camera Footage

Body-worn camera (BWC) footage was analyzed to describe the characteristics of opioid overdose incidents in which police officers responded in Tempe, Arizona. Using the footage, several concerns raised about police responses to opioid overdoses were investigated. The results indicate that police arrived on scene before Tempe Fire and Medical Rescue (TFMR) around 75% of the time. Most frequently, the individual on scene was unconscious when police arrived but regained consciousness after receiving naloxone. Concerns such as citizen aggression or arrest were rarely observed. Likewise, other concerns such as accidental opioid exposure to an officer and improper administration of naloxone were not observed. The concerns surrounding police involvement in opioid overdose incidents were rarely documented in Tempe, Arizona. If these findings are replicated in other jurisdictions, the concerns over police involvement at opioid overdoses should be reconsidered.