Impact
Ensuring Law Enforcement Officers are Informed on the Factual Risks of Fentanyl Exposure to Better Serve Their Communities
Objective
To alleviate the prevalent, unfounded workplace stress that United States (US) law enforcement officers experience regarding potential fentanyl exposure.
Approach
- Conduct research studies to understand how common stress regarding fentanyl overdose via skin contact is across multiple law enforcement agencies in the US
- Identify the origins of misinformation regarding fentanyl exposure and how that misinformation spreads
- Pinpoint the education and training gaps regarding fentanyl exposure among first responders
- Develop first responder training that educates law enforcement officers on how to properly respond to fentanyl on scene
Impact
Supporting law enforcement agencies with science-based education and training around fentanyl exposure leads to a more informed and resilient workforce that can maintain wellness, address stigmas around substance use, and better serve communities.
As the overdose crisis continues to impact communities, first responders are increasingly likely to come into contact with fentanyl on the scene of a potential overdose. Fentanyl that is made and distributed illegally (commonly known as illicitly manufactured fentanyl) has rapidly increased in the illicit drug supply across the United States. Because fentanyl is about 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine, a lethal dose can be very small, and when first responders are dispatched to assist someone who has overdosed on fentanyl, time is critical. To ensure the victim receives proper medical care, these first responders must take decisive action while simultaneously minimizing any perceived occupational hazards.
However, a lack of knowledge regarding the actual risks associated with fentanyl exposure, especially among law enforcement officers, may prevent an overdose victim from receiving the time-sensitive treatment necessary to prevent death or permanent harm. While healthcare experts and other scientists have demonstrated that first responders are at low risk of overdose when exposed to fentanyl, misinformation that claims otherwise has long permeated across law enforcement agencies throughout the US.
As a result, officers may face unnecessary stress related to their own well-being in situations where the concern is not warranted. For instance, when responding to an overdose where fentanyl is suspected to be involved, officers may experience a rapid heartbeat, hyperventilating, or intense sweating and believe it is due to fentanyl exposure when these are not symptoms associated with a fentanyl overdose.
To ensure the important actions of law enforcement are not hindered due to misinformation, RTI is working to counter the narrative that first responders are at risk when responding to someone who they suspect is experiencing an overdose involving fentanyl.
Assessing the extent of fentanyl misinformation among law enforcement
In multiple studies conducted by researchers at RTI International and partners such as the University of California San Diego, law enforcement officers from diverse agencies across the US were interviewed and asked to qualify their beliefs on fentanyl exposure. Most interviewees believed that skin contact with fentanyl powder, as expressed by an officer in one study, “…could knock you out and kill you….”
Additionally, many interviewees said they learned of the alleged high risks associated with fentanyl exposure from their peers while on duty. Hundreds of traditional media and social media sources were found by the study to have also contributed to the spread of fentanyl misinformation.
Better educating law enforcement officers on the low risks of fentanyl exposure
At the start of another study, nearly 80% of participating law enforcement officers agreed with the sentiment that: “First responders who encounter fentanyl are at great risk of overdose by touching it or inhaling it.”
Through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Collaborative, RTI developed a video training series that sought to educate law enforcement officers on the low risks of fentanyl exposure via skin contact.
The RTI team partnered with the SHIELD Initiative (Safety and Health Integration in the Enforcement of Laws on Drugs) to create a 10-minute module that focused on fentanyl exposure and workplace safety. The video explained that fentanyl absorption through the skin requires a specially made transdermal patch. Otherwise, it cannot be absorbed through the skin by simply touching it.
Law enforcement training designed to address fentanyl misinformation and improve overdose crisis response
SHIELD now uses the videos to educate law enforcement leaders and officers on the low risks of inhaling or touching fentanyl.
As part of the COSSUP TTA Collaborative, RTI International continues to develop training and educational resources that close knowledge gaps and address misinformation among first responders and other professionals. These resources, which include written publications, audio/visual content, and in-person or virtual events, are accessible via the COSSUP Resource Center.
Learn more about our work related to justice workforce resilience and training and technical assistance.
