A gloved police officer with the Oklahoma Police Department was caught on cam overdosing after he accidentally touched evidence that was containing fentanyl.
The officer, whose identity was not shared with the public, was caught on cam losing consciousness after packing away the drug, which was found during a traffic stop.
The gloved police officer is working with the Bartlesville Police Department in Oklahoma, USA.
It is said that the drugs were laced with fentanyl, which is 50 times more powerful than morphine.
The police officer was wearing gloves when the incident happened, but authorities believe the officer got in contact with the drug and it caused him to collapse.
The CCTV footage from the scene shows the officer packing away evidence, before turning to lean on the table.
He then started to double over, and eventually fell to his knees.
His colleagues quickly came to his aid and administered Narcan, a medication that is used to block the effects of opioids and help prevent the overdose.
The police officer was later taken away on a stretcher.
Jim Warring, a sergeant with the Bartlesville Police Department, said, “He had become ill, light-headed, basically passed out and fell over.”
He added, “I don’t know what would have happened had they not acted so quickly.”
Warring said that the incident marked the first time officers have had to use Narcan on one of their own police officers.
The good thing about this is that quick medication saved the life of the officer.
Sergeant Warring went on to use the incident as an example of stating the dangers police officers have to face every day when they are dealing with dangerous pieces of evidence.
Sergeant Warring said, “We’re really fortunate that we had [Narcan] available and that our officers really paid attention to the training. Even though the officer may not be physically dealing with an individual, all the evidence and things that we handle on a day-to-day basis can harm you too.”
The good thing is that the police officer is alive and now recovering.