BINGHAMTON, NY – Binghamton University Chief of Police Timothy Faughnan has announced that State University Police at Binghamton University will begin carrying Naloxone, also called Narcan, as a proactive measure while on duty. The drug is the antidote for those experiencing heroin overdoses and has a high rate of success if administered quickly.

"We have not received any reports of heroin use on our campus to date," said Faughnan, "but by recognizing that we as a university are not immune to outside influences, we want to be prepared should we come across it. This also falls in line with what most law enforcement agencies as well as schools in the SUNY system are undertaking."

Binghamton officers complete their Naxolone training through the Broome County Health Department’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Program this week and will begin carrying the antidote Monday, Aug. 18. This initiative supports Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s state-wide heroin initiative that focuses on prevention, education and enforcement.

Additional training sessions are being planned for both law enforcement and others on campus to focus on topics such as indicators of heroin use, paraphernalia recognition, symptoms and behaviors of users, and other such topics to help persons identify potential emerging problems and provide appropriate intervention when needed.

The New York State University Police at Binghamton is a fully empowered state law enforcement agency. Their primary mission is to provide a safe environment for the Binghamton University campus community.