This past weekend, four men between the ages of 20 and 54 died of a suspected drug overdose
The Windsor Police Association is at odds with the police chief over the use of naloxone — a potentially life saving medication given during a drug overdose.
On Tuesday, the province removed liability for police officers if they use the medication to save someone's life, and it doesn't work.
Police departments can voluntarily decide whether or not to equip frontline officers with naloxone, but Windsor Police Chief Al Frederick says it's not happening here.
Frederick believes paramedics, as health professionals, are best equipped to respond to health crisis.
Hhowever, Police Association President Jason DeJong says officers want to have the medication available, so they can protect themselves.
"The health and safety issue, our members would like to be able to carry this and have it sanctioned by the chief that they can use this for one, to protect themselves and to protect their partners and their colleagues," he says.
According to DeJong, this wouldn't be a huge stretch for officers.
"We are administering first aid and all of those limited type of things that we do as police officers, so I don't think our members, and it has happened across the province already where police officers have administered naloxone and saved people's lives, I don't think our members would have an issue with that."
This past weekend, four men between the ages of 20 and 54 died of a suspected drug overdose.
Chief Al Frederick says three different drugs were believed to be involved.
— with files from AM800's Lynn Martin