Cranston police are now equipped with a drug that can save the lives of those who have overdosed on opiates.

Patrol officers have been issued naxolone – more commonly known as narcan – as part of the ongoing, statewide effort to combat the overdose epidemic, Police Chief Col. Michael J. Winquist announced in a press release last week. The drug comes at no cost to the department thanks to a donation of EVZIO naloxone auto-injectors from Richmond, Va.-based pharmaceutical company kaléo.

“The rising number of overdose deaths from opioid-based prescription drugs and heroin is one of the top concerns for our community,” Winquist states in the release. “This new product delivers a potentially life-saving dose of naloxone via a simple to use auto-injector system that is easy for our officers to carry and administer to someone experiencing an opioid overdose. With this donation, we will have an opportunity to make a real difference in the fight against unintentional drug poisoning and overdose.”

“On behalf of the residents of Cranston, I would like to thank kaléo pharmaceutical for their generous donation of EVZIO naloxone auto-injectors to our men and women on the front lines of this crisis,” Mayor Allan Fung states in the release. “The training provided by Kaléo in combination with their product will ensure that the Cranston Police Department is ready to face this overdose epidemic head on.”

According to police, 12 of the 233 fatal overdoses from opiates in Rhode Island in 2014 occurred in Cranston. The overdose epidemic has been driven largely by abuse of prescription opioids.

Cranston officers completed a 30-minute training session conducted by the department’sTraining Division before being issued two pre-filled, single-use, hand-held auto-injectors of naloxone, the release states.

“The auto-injectors allow the officer to quickly provide an intramuscular injection of naloxone to individuals they encounter that may be suffering the effects of an opioid overdose,” according to the release. “Naloxone works by temporarily blocking the effect of an opioid, potentially reversing the life-threatening respiratory depression and allowing the recipient to breathe more regularly.”

“We are pleased to be making this donation as a part of our commitment to widen access to naloxone,” T. Spencer Williamson, CEO of kaléo, states in the release. “We are honored to support the outstanding efforts of the law enforcement community to help save the lives of those who are experiencing an opioid overdose, even through no fault of their own.”