Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Human Services

Advisor

Tina Jaeckle

Abstract

Researchers have conducted multiple studies regarding opioid users, opioid addicts, relatives of addicts, and health professional responses. The opioid crisis has been a focus for scholars following the first wave of prescription in 1991 (CDC, 2016). However, there is limited research that examines the lived experiences of law enforcement officers and their roles during an opioid overdose. As the opioid crisis has continued to negatively affect individuals, families, communities, cities, and countries, federal, state, and local policymakers have searched for ways to combat the opioid crisis. For many law enforcement agencies, policymakers have enacted policy that mandates patrol officers carry and administer Narcan/naloxone. This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of police officers who are mandated to carry and employ Narcan/naloxone during a perceived opioid overdose. To gain a better understanding of how law enforcement officers perceive the requirement that seemingly changes their role from law enforcement to an emergency medical technician (EMT). The research design for this study was Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method with thematic-based analysis. While each participant expressed their own experiences individually, four major themes (duty to serve, saving life, job hazard, and frustration) emerged. The findings from this study can help law enforcement officials and policymakers further understand their officers’ perceptions of the harm reduction process related to the opioid crisis. Additionally, these findings could lead to positive social change by making the law enforcement officers and community members’ stakeholders in developing positive relationships surrounding response to opioid incidents.

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