DMV police departments concerned after Florida officer nearly dies from suspected fentanyl exposure

DMV police departments express concerns after Florida officer nearly dies from suspected Fentanyl exposure

D.C. area police departments have been sharing a concerning video out of Florida, showing an officer appearing to lose consciousness due to suspected Fentanyl exposure, as an important reminder of how every second counts when Fentanyl is involved. FOX 5's Stephanie Ramirez spoke with Prince George's County Police to learn about how they are handling the concerns.

Dramatic video out of Florida shows an officer appearing to lose consciousness due to suspected Fentanyl exposure. As a result, D.C. area police departments have been sharing the concerning video with their members to serve as an important reminder of how every second counts when Fentanyl is involved.

"We just want everybody to be careful with that stuff. We want everybody to talk about [it] ... assume its poison," said the head of the Prince George’s County Police Narcotics Enforcement Division, Major Chad Schmick. Schmick viewed the Florida police body cam video with FOX 5, noting had the other officers not had Narcan, the officer who collapsed would’ve likely died.

The video shows Officer Courtney Bannick lifeless after reportedly coughing and had difficulty breathing.

FOX 35 Orlando and FOX News are reporting that the officer, out of Tavares, Florida performing a routine traffic stop. She was handling dollar bills that drugs had been rolled into.

Department leaders say Officer Bannick wore gloves. However, officials believe the wind, which you can hear in the police body worn camera, exposed the officer to suspected Fentanyl.

"She’s breathing – stay with me, okay," you hear other officers on scene say as they administer the anti-overdose treatment, Narcan. Officer Bannick is helped up and is heard talking. However, about 4 minutes later, she appears lifeless again and is treated with another dose of Narcan.

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Police in Prince George's County have issued a new warning to residents about counterfeit prescription drugs laced with Fentanyl. FOX 5's Katie Barlow has the details.

Major Schmick says the video is why his department trains for – and wants everyone to be more cautious when responding to drug incidents.

"The assumption would be if you see the loose powder, you would think cocaine, you would think heroine – but now what we’re trying to express to everybody is assume that there’s Fentanyl," he said.

While in our region, PGPD is mostly dealing with Fentanyl-laced pills, the major says some are also crushing the pills into powder or heating it to take-in the vapors.

"It stops your diaphragm from working. So if your diaphragm is not working, it means your lungs are not taking in oxygen. If you’re not taking in oxygen, that means every second that ticks by, we’re talking about the repercussions," said Schmick.

The head of the Narcotics Enforcement Division also tells FOX 5 Fentanyl doesn’t really bind to other drugs. So someone pressing the synthetic drug into pills could end-up with a batch that has no Fentanyl in the first few pills – and enough to kill in pills toward the end of the batch.

Knowing what to look for and how to react is key. Local police departments are working hand-and-hand to share this awareness in the region’s schools. Area school districts have already provided nurses and School Resource Officers with Narcan.

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FOX 5 checked and was able to find Narcan available for sale over-the-counter at CVS and Walgreens pharmacies. The cost is around $100 depending on insurance. Narcan is often offered for free with training through your local government. In Prince George’s County, FOX 5 is told the training lasts about an hour.

Maryland does have a Good Samaritan law that will also protect someone who calls 9-1-1 for a suspected over-dose victim. Police want to save as many people from overdosing as possible.

SIDE NOTE – some area parents have been asking why they’re only learning of certain school-related Fentanyl cases now. FOX 5 reached-out to school districts from Prince William to Prince George’s County and learned health privacy laws like HIPAA and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) bar the school systems from sharing overdose case information.

The school systems are allowed to – and do report trends. Montgomery County Public Schools’ spokesperson tells FOX 5 if the overdose is fatal, the school system will share with permission from the family.