CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY SECOND COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-16-100 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Dan Lewis and Diane Gibson
RESOLUTION
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Creating A New Priority Objective Within The Public Safety Goal Relating To The Creation Of A Naloxone Protocol And Program For The Albuquerque Police Department (Lewis, Gibson)
body
CREATING A NEW PRIORITY OBJECTIVE WITHIN THE PUBLIC SAFETY GOAL RELATING TO THE CREATION OF A NALOXONE PROTOCOL AND PROGRAM FOR THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WHEREAS, Section 4-10(b) of the City Charter specifies that the Council shall annually review and adopt one-year objectives related to five-year goals for the City, which goals and objectives are to serve as a basis for budget formulation and other policies and legislation; and
WHEREAS, New Mexico leads the nation in deaths caused by overdose of opioid drugs and 536 deaths were caused by overdoses in 2014, a 19 percent increase over the previous year; and
WHEREAS, naloxone is a prescription drug that can counteract the effects of opioid drugs, effectively stopping an overdose; and
WHEREAS, the state passed legislation in 2016 to allow “standing orders” for naloxone, allowing pharmacists to dispense the drug at their pharmacy counters without a doctor’s order so anyone can obtain naloxone at various locations throughout New Mexico without a prescription; and
WHEREAS, naloxone was successfully used in 900 cases of opioid overdose in 2014 and studies suggest that most patients addicted to heroin have been rescued by naloxone before they commit to medication-assisted treatment programs; and
WHEREAS, police officers may be the first responders on the scene of an opioid overdose and have an opportunity to save a life before a paramedic can be called out; and
WHEREAS, several New Mexico law-enforcement agencies have a naloxone protocol for their officers, including the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Espanola Police Department, Ruidoso Police Department, Rio Rancho Police Department, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, Socorro Police Department, Socorro County Sheriff’s Office, Taos County Sheriff’s Office, Taos Police Department, and Union County Sheriff’s Office; and
WHEREAS, APD has access to grant funding opportunities through the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Opioid Initiative, which is administered locally by the New Mexico Human Services Department, as well as other opportunities through the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center; and
WHEREAS, naloxone has a shelf life of two years and must be replaced biennially.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
Section 1. That a new priority objective is created under the PUBLIC SAFETY GOAL reading as follows:
“The Albuquerque Police Department shall, by March 1, 2017, explore other law enforcement agencies’ naloxone protocols with the aim of developing a naloxone protocol for all officers in the Department. The Department shall: work with officials at the UNM Health Sciences Center to research and apply for grant funding sufficient to cover the cost of placing a naloxone kit in each of APD’s vehicles and develop a plan for replacing naloxone kits as they are used or expire; submit a report with recommendations to the Mayor and City Council by June 1, 2017 identifying grant funding opportunities for initial implementation and ongoing funding sources; and develop the initial training module for field officers and an implementation date for training, which shall commence no later than June 1, 2017. Procurement and placement of Naloxone in police vehicles shall be phased in over the 12-month period beginning June 1, 2017, and ending May 31, 2018. No fewer than 50% of police vehicles shall have a Naloxone kit in place by December 1, 2017.”
Section 2. Implementation and continuation of the City’s naloxone protocol shall be dependent upon feasibility, availability of the drug, and available funding.
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