Minn. Officers Treated for Possible Fentanyl Exposure at HQ

Two St. Paul officer were taken by ambulance to a hospital after a potential fentanyl exposure while they were conducting routine drug testing Monday morning, according to the police department.

They were treated at Regions Hospital and released.

The sergeant and officer were doing the testing in the property room of police headquarters on Grove Street, near Lafayette Road, “when both suffered a medical emergency believed to be the result of a fentanyl exposure,” said Steve Linders, a police spokesman. He said they began experiencing symptoms associated with exposure.

One used Narcan on himself, and other employees provided assistance and called for St. Paul fire paramedics.

Hazardous materials experts from the fire department assessed the building’s air quality, and the basement and first floor of police headquarters were evacuated. The basement’s separate HVAC system was shut down, as was the system in the rest of the building as a precaution. People in the rest of the building were told to stay in place during the assessment.

“About an hour later, it was determined that the air quality was safe, there was no threat to people inside, and access to the first through sixth floors was re-opened,” Linders said. “The police department is currently working to determine exactly what led to the incident.”

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