The Candia Police Department is advancing its accreditation work while continuing field training for new recruits, and the chief presented a letter of merit July 14 for Officer Schaeffer after she administered Narcan to an unconscious driver June 30, Police Chief Alex told the Board of Selectmen.
The chief said recruits are progressing in the academy and that Lieutenant Stanton was appointed the department's accreditation manager to lead policy review and prepare for the New Hampshire accreditation process. "I've appointed him the accreditation manager," the chief said of the lieutenant.
Nut graf: The chief described the department's training priorities — academy time, field training and policy updates for accreditation — and highlighted a medical intervention that the department said saved a life. He said Officer Schaeffer recognized opioid overdose signs, administered Narcan and remained on scene until ambulance crews arrived.
On the June 30 call, the officer found an unconscious adult; after administering Narcan from the patrol car supply, the officer restored respiration and the subject was taken by ambulance for further care, the chief said. "It's when someone's overdosing from some kind of pulpit, and she administered that. She was able to bring the subject back so they could go in the ambulance and get help," he said. The chief added: "What Narcan does is it replaces receptors so the person can come back to, and they don't stop breathing. They still need medical attention after that normally because it can revert right back into an overdose."
The chief also updated the board on jail/holding arrangements: the department does not maintain a 24-hour holding cell; people taken into custody who cannot be held locally are transported to Rockingham County facilities.
The board recognized the officer with a formal letter of merit that will be placed in her personnel file. The chief said the department will continue accreditation work and field training to bolster patrol capacity and public safety.
Next steps: the department will continue accreditation preparations, complete field training assignments for academy graduates, and staff will file the letter of merit in the officer's personnel record.