Morgan County Sheriff K.C. Bohrer gave department commendations to four local officers for their life-saving actions during two drug overdose calls in recent months.
Sheriff Bohrer, in a February 4 presentation before the Morgan County Commission, recognized Cpl. Luke Shambaugh, Deputy Brad Knotts, Deputy Richard Cook and Deputy Jeremy Burkholder for administering medication to revive two individuals who were unresponsive due to an opioid overdose.
“We save lives in many different ways,” the Sheriff said. “Sometimes we’re on the scene of OD’s before anyone else.”
In two separate emergency calls, deputies were called to residences where individuals were unresponsive due to a drug overdose. Sheriff Bohrer said in one of the incidents, police were called to a home but the homeowner wasn’t aware that a young woman had overdosed in a locked bedroom. Deputies discovered the young woman and administered Naloxone, which interrupts opioid intoxication. When one dose wasn’t enough, a deputy retrieved more of the medication and was able to revive the young woman, the sheriff said.
In the other incident, deputies revived a male who was a known drug user.
“This day he didn’t die and we hope someday life will change for him,” said Sheriff Bohrer.
Melody Stotler, founder of the Life or Drugs Tri-State Support group, told county officials that she thinks of a person’s family members each time Naloxone is used to interrupt what could be a fatal drug overdose.
Stotler acknowledged that such calls are tough for police officers.
“I know it’s a tough job and you get jaded with multiple OD’s,” she said.
“I know they come up swinging after you administer Narcan,” Stotler said. “But there’s a family member who’s grateful.”
Pictured, from left, are Sheriff K.C. Bohrer, Life or Drugs founder Melody Stotler, Cpl. Luke Shambaugh, Deputy Bradley Knotts, Deputy Richard Cook and Rev. Jack Hiles of Life or Drugs Tri-State Support Group.
