A Brantford, Ont., police officer was treated for fentanyl exposure after being bitten by a woman who was attempting to ingest the drug during her arrest.
Officers were dispatched to an intersection in the city Dec. 3 after receiving a report that a woman had allegedly fled the scene of a one-vehicle crash carrying a handgun, the Brantford Police Service said in a Dec. 4 press release.
Two nearby schools were placed on lockdown “out of an abundance of caution” as officers began their search for the suspect, police said.
The officers tracked the woman to a fast-food establishment near the intersection of Stanley and Darling streets. The woman, who was found to have a BB gun in her possession, was arrested and the weapon was confiscated, police said.
In an updated statement on Dec. 9, police said the suspect was seen ingesting a foreign substance believed to be fentanyl during the arrest.
“The officer intervened, potentially saving the suspect’s life by attempting to remove the suspected drugs from the suspect’s mouth,” police said, adding that the officer “began to exhibit signs of fentanyl exposure and was transported to hospital for treatment.”
The officer has since recovered from “the physical injuries sustained as a result of the incident,” police said.
A 39-year-old woman from Brantford is facing several charges in connection with the incident, including assaulting a peace officer causing bodily harm, possession of a controlled substance, carrying a concealed firearm, and breach of probation.
Fentanyl is a very potent opioid pain reliever that has become a widely used street drug, according to Health Canada.
The odourless and tasteless drug is 20 to 40 times more potent than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, making the risk of accidental overdose very high, the agency said. A tiny amount of the drug is enough to cause a fatal overdose.
Exposure to the drug can cause dizziness, confusion, nausea and vomiting, slow breathing, constricted pupils, and drowsiness.
