Overdose deaths and overdoses have risen dramatically in Windsor over the last five years.
That's according to Windsor Police Chief Al Frederick.
He said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon that the current overdose situation in the city is the worst he has ever seen. The chief said there were four overdose deaths this weekend alone.
Chief Frederick emphasized that his officers still won’t carry Naloxone/Narcan nasal spray to prevent overdose deaths because paramedics have the expertise to do that job.
"I've seen a number of news articles that are saying there's a new opioid on the streets that is resistant to Naloxone. What happens when there's another drug and another antidote that they want police to carry? We are on a slippery slope there," said the chief.
Frederick said all the overdose deaths on Saturday and Sunday happened in private homes throughout the city, including one in the downtown area, all with someone else present. All the victims were men ranging from 20 years old to 54.
Frederick said that it was not a bad batch of drugs and there was no reason to call the overdoses a public health emergency because none of the four overdoses were connected and three different illicit drugs were used, although he wouldn't say what they were.
"No relationship at all between the four cases. In fact, it was not all the same drug," he said.
Frederick said to date no officers have been cross-contaminated or died by responding to a fentanyl overdose.
"That risk has not played out across Canada or the U.S. where officers are being inadvertently overdosed after exposure," Chief Frederick said.
The province announced on Tuesday that it is allowing police officers to carry and administer Naloxone in response to opioid overdoses like other first responders, and do not have to worry about being investigated. Police were previously required to report to and be investigated by the Special Investigations Unit following an incident where a civilian died after naloxone was administered.
The province said last year, the opioid crisis claimed the lives of more than 1,250 Ontarians.