VOCAL Washington is one of many organizations advocating for safe drug consumption spaces.
VOCAL Washington is one of many organizations advocating for safe drug consumption spaces. VOCAL - Washington

On Monday, Seattle Police bike officers administered a life-saving dose of Naloxone with a nasal spray to a 56-year-old man suffering from a heroin overdose in Downtown Seattle. The man's breathing had slowed and his skin had turned blue, SPD Blotter reported.

Officer [Randy] Jokela used a dose of Naloxone nasal spray on the man, who opened his eyes and fully regained consciousness a few minutes later. He was able to was able to walk to a gurney under his own power before he was transported to Harborview Medical Center.

This was the fourth time in four weeks that SPD officers had saved a life with the overdose-reversal drug.

Street corners in Downtown Seattle are some of Seattle's many unsafe drug consumption sites.

Yes, Seattle Police officers have been helping prevent overdoses. But that can't be our city's only long-term solution. As Ansel reported last month: "Safe consumption sites would relieve some of the burden on police to save these people by allowing addicts to consume drugs in clean, regulated, sanctioned locations."