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Public safety officials propose using opioid funds for training, equipment and drug analyzers; items to return to council Oct. 6
Summary
McKinney police and fire officials outlined proposed uses of public-safety-designated opioid funds including $22,000 for CPR/AED/stop-the-bleed equipment, medication-assisted treatment training for about 250 personnel, media campaigns and field narcotics analyzers and Narcan; the items were scheduled for the Oct. 6 council meeting for action.
McKinney public safety leaders presented a proposed use of opioid-settlement or opioid-designated funds for public-safety initiatives at the City Council’s Sept. 23 special work session.
Chief Dowell and Assistant Chief Kaczmierski described a package of proposed purchases and training aimed at first responders and public education. The presentation identified $22,000 for training and equipment —including CPR equipment, AED mannequins and stop-the-bleed kits— plus continuing education for medication-assisted-treatment (MAT) management intended for roughly 250 fire and police personnel, and funding for media campaigns to support Ready to React classes. The police portion included funding requests for TrueNarc field analyzers to safely identify unknown substances in the field and for additional Narcan (naloxone) supplies.
Assistant Chief Kaczmierski explained the TrueNarc device can analyze substances without opening packaging and can aid officer safety and probable-cause determinations. He gave examples from demonstrations in which the device correctly identified sugar and gypsum when substances were passed off as illicit drugs. The presentation said the police currently have one analyzer in narcotics but want more available to field officers when narcotics personnel are not present.
Chief Dowell told council the package will be presented for council action on Oct. 6. "These items would then be on the October 6 city council for you to take action on," he said. The presentation did not record a council vote at the Sept. 23 work session; it was informational with a scheduled return for formal action.
No formal funding award or contract was approved at the work session; council members thanked the presenters and the items were placed on the October 6 agenda for consideration.
