This video series discusses how law enforcement officers and first responders can obtain knowledge and use best practices as they support effective responses to illicit substance use and misuse, with the goal of reducing overdose deaths and promoting public safety and access to treatment services.
In partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program, Forensic Technology Center of Excellence and its partners produced a series of short videos on how law enforcement officers, first responders, and other stakeholders can gain knowledge and implement best practices in their role to support effective local, state, and tribal responses to illicit substance use and misuse in order to reduce overdose deaths, promote public safety, and support access to treatment and recovery services in the criminal justice system. This video will aid officers at the scene of a death to identify potential markers for overdose that should be shared with the local coroner or medical examiner to assist them in triaging cases to ensure drug-related deaths are adequately identified and investigated.