Ottawa officers ended up in hospital after drug exposure during arrests

Two police officers were in the hospital following two separate arrests earlier this month.

According to a press release from the Ottawa Police Service in the early hours of Feb. 5 one officer was taken to hospital after conducting a traffic stop. The officer was exposed to fentanyl during the arrest of a 36-year-old in Orleans.

The service says the officer is going to make a full recovery “thanks to an immediate response.”

During this traffic stop police seized over 70 grams of fentanyl and 146 grams of an unknown white powder. The man was charged with possession of Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking.

Just three days later a similar situation happened with another officer.

Police from the east division seized crystal meth from a man that was arrested, the officer started feeling nauseous and lightheaded during the transportation. The officer pulled over and the police sergeant behind called paramedics. They were taken to hospital but have since been released and are “doing-well” the release reads.

“These incidents highlight the life-threatening risk fentanyl and other drugs pose to first responders,” police said. “It also clearly demonstrates how the risk associated to the drug has devastated communities across Canada leaving thousands of people mourning the loss of their loved ones to drug overdoses.”