Tampa Police Officer Exposed To Fentanyl Collapses, Saved By Narcan

TAMPA, FL — A Tampa police officer is recovering after being exposed to fentanyl on Thursday night.

According to police, around 11 p.m. an officer was conducting a narcotics investigation and was testing a substance believed to be fentanyl.

After the test, he was sitting in his cruiser completing his report when he began to feel numbness in his limbs, faint and dizzy — all signs consistent with fentanyl exposure.

After getting out of his cruiser and collapsing, other officers on the scene administered a dose of Narcan, which neutralizes the effects of fentanyl. Out of precaution, the officer was taken to the hospital where he was later released.

Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said the officer will suffer no long-term effects from the exposure to the potentially deadly drug.

"The threat that fentanyl poses to the community, also affects our officers," said Bercaw. "It was because of officers' training and the ability to quickly identify the exposure symptoms that a deadly situation was prevented. The officer's exposure is a stark reminder that even the most mundane tasks can result in a near-death experience."