Police officer east of Toronto hospitalized after fentanyl exposure

A Durham Regional Police officer's logo emblem is shown in Bowmanville, Ont., Tuesday Feb. 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Doug Ives

For the second time in less than a week, a police officer in the Greater Toronto Area was hospitalized after they were exposed to fentanyl while arresting a suspect.

Durham Regional Police said the latest incident occurred in Oshawa, near Simcoe Street South and Albany Street, on the afternoon of Dec. 22 as officers responded to a trespass call.

Officers located a suspect, who had been previously banned from a business in the area, and placed them under arrest. At that time, police said, one officer was exposed to fentanyl.

It’s unclear how exactly the officer made contact with the powerful synthetic opioid, but they were taken to hospital and have since been released, police said.

“This incident highlights just one of the many unknown dangers our officers face each and every day while keeping our community safe,” Durham Regional Police said in a post on X.

On Tuesday in Toronto, a police officer was responding to an assault call near Eglinton Avenue East and Mount Pleasant Road when they too were exposed to fentanyl. In that case, police said the officer began “exhibiting symptoms consistent with fentanyl exposure” and was taken to hospital.

Toronto Police Association President Clayton Campbell told CTV News Toronto at that time that the officer’s skin was exposed to the drug while searching a suspect’s pockets.

Narcan, the medicine that can reverse an opioid overdose, was administered by the Toronto police officer’s colleagues and they were transported to, and then released from, hospital.

According to Health Canada, skin exposure to fentanyl is “extremely unlikely to immediately” cause harm. If skin does come into contact with the drug, the national health agency advises washing the area with soap and water to remove it.

Neither police force has said what charges either suspect is facing.