"Every day. Every day as an organization or community, we're dealing with it in some aspect either an overdose or arresting someone distributing it," Lt. Brad Frey said. He is with the Durham Police Department's Organized Crime Division.
It's concerning for officers who can't see or smell the potential danger lurking in the air. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can kill.
A day Cpl. Cesar Garci will never forget -- an officer at DPD headquarters was examining an unknown drug that was seized. It turns out that the drug was fentanyl.
"He began feeling nauseous. There was dizziness in him. He was having trouble breathing," Garci said. "Definitely frightening for all of us. This is our family. One of our brothers went down. It was a huge awakening for us."
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That awakening prompted a change in how the department handles drug investigations.
"We've gotten better gloves, nitro gloves. They are thicker and to wear and have them readily available for when we are handling those items. How we test them has changed. Not testing in the field, but bringing them back to a controlled environment," Frey said.
The Organized Crime Division has implemented additional policies, such as having one officer present in the investigation room while another tests unknown drugs.
According to DPD, since 2020, they've seen a surge in the mixing of fentanyl with other drugs.
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The data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services revealed Durham County recorded 133 opioid overdose emergency department visits from January to July 2024, compared to 192 overdoses during the same period last year. The majority of those affected were individuals aged 25-44.
The good news is that the officer, who was exposed to fentanyl last year, survived and did not overdose. The department is taking steps to minimize officers' exposure to the deadly drug.
"That's why we're always looking at the best policy, best procedure and best equipment to give officers and personnel in order to handle it," Frey said.
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