In 2017, Cleveland Police became the final group of the city's first responders to carry the naloxone nasal spray Narcan, the opioid antagonist that can reverse the effects of a drug overdose. 150 zone cars were initially equipped with the drug, with roll-out to the remaining fleet to follow. More than 900 officers were in the first group to receive Narcan administration training, with the focus on patrol officers who answer 911 calls. Some detectives were also trained. The kits that police use contain twice the dosage of those used by firefighters and EMS technicians, as police may have to dispense several doses of the drug to counteract an overdose. The division typically is faced with several overdoses per day. Overall, Cuyahoga County suffered 228 opioid overdose deaths in 2015, 666 in 2016, and 775 in 2017.
