Ontario’s police watchdog has opened its first death investigation involving the administration of the opioid antidote naloxone — a move coming amid debate over whether an officer’s failed attempt to save someone’s life should prompt a probe by the civilian agency.The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) announced it has launched a probe into the death of a 36-year-old man early Monday at a Brampton home. Officers summoned to the scene by a medical assistance call performed CPR and administered naloxone, a drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, but the man later died. The SIU, which probes police-involved deaths and serious injuries, released no further details Monday but said five investigators had taken over the case. An SIU spokesperson confirmed it is the first naloxone-related death investigation.As the opioid crisis hits in Ontario and municipal services — most recently Toronto police — equip officers with naloxone, a dispute has erupted between police leaders and the SIU over the watchdog’s powers to investigate, or even be informed, when police administer the drug in the line of duty.Earlier this year, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) sent a letter on behalf of police leaders asking the SIU to “stand down” on its expectation that it be called in whenever the officers administered the drug but a death or serious injury occurred nonetheless. The policy, the OACP said, could make cops think twice about deploying the drug, as they could be subjected to a lengthy and stressful investigation by the civilian watchdog for simply trying to prevent a death.If any force is used by officers during the administration of the drug, then police services should rightly be expected to call in the police watchdog, the OACP said.Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders expressed similar concerns about the SIU’s stance on naloxone, telling the police board in a report last month that the & ...
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