Officials with the Murfreesboro Police Department are in the process of creating a policy before training their officers on how and when to use Narcan.
The department received 560 boxes of the nasal spray last month to help combat the ongoing opioid crisis in the county.
Narcan, a brand of Naloxone, is administered through the nose, and can reverse the effects of opioid almost instantly.
There is no official date on when the department can start using the lifesaving drug.
"I've been in cop work for over 30 years. I've seen more opioid problems in the last five years than the rest of my time put together," said Lt. Don Fanning.
Recent state data showed that Rutherford County had 45 opioid overdose deaths and 14 heroin overdose deaths.
Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue already carried Naloxone since September 2016. A spokesperson stated that so far in 2018, the department administered Narcan 27 times. In 2017, the total was 39.
Medical Training Coordinator Jeff Wright said on average so far this year, fire crews are using Narcan about six times per month.
"The patient is going to have a very decreased respiratory rate to where they're breathing less than 10 times a minute, most of times two to six times a minute," described Wright.
Police said there has been at least 30 opioid-related calls in the last six months. That is not including heroin calls.
"If we don't get a handle on it we're all going to get in trouble," added Fanning.
Fanning said using Narcan can help the patient receive the proper help and treatment.
"I'm giving them an opportunity to survive and maybe go to rehab and recover from this," said Fanning. "If that was my daughter, I want to give her every chance if that's two chances or ten chances. I want her to have a chance to live."
