Jeffersontown Police installing 25 emergency boxes with overdose kits across the city

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jeffersontown police are rolling out new life-saving tools for the community to use for free.

Twenty-five permanent boxes will be placed throughout the city with overdose emergency kits, including Narcan/Naloxone — an over-the-counter overdose-reversal drug.

It's part of the Jeffersontown Police Department's REACH Unit, which works to reduce the number of fatal and nonfatal opioid overdoses in the city.

The goal of putting the boxes around the community is to help with that initiative, which also includes access to Narcan training and increase the distribution of REACH kits to those who may be at-risk.

"We are dedicated to maintaining a strong approach to fighting crime in our community, but we also know that we need to take proactive measures to tackle the opioid epidemic," Jeffersontown Police Chief Richard Sanders said in a news release on Thursday. "The new permanent Narcan boxes are a crucial tool in reversing fatal overdoses and providing a lifeline to those in need."

Jeffersontown police said nearly 2,000 Kentuckians died from drug overdoses in 2020, with Jefferson County reporting the most with 512 deaths. Right now, police said the city's rate of accidental overdoses is 137 per 100,000 residents.

The kits are free to grab.

Police said the kits and storage cabinets were provided through funding from the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Settlement. The Naloxone in the kits was provided through the Kentucky Opioid Response Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution program.

When the boxes are installed, you'll be able to find out where they're located on the Find Naloxone Now KY website by clicking here.

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