Walpole police add hazmat gear as fentanyl concerns grow

WALPOLE, Mass. — Each police vehicle in Walpole is now equipped with gear that can save officers’ lives.

In early August, three Chelsea officers who responded to a crash found three men unresponsive in a car. The officers started feeling lightheaded and may have been exposed to a powerful and deadly drug, fentanyl.

Walpole’s Police Chief John Carmichael says they’re not taking any risks. He ordered hazmat gear for each and every car.

“This was unknown to them, so they go inside and start to have the same signs and symptoms of an overdose. Which is very concerning,” said Chief Carmichael.

Now, all of Walpole’s police cars will have two hazmat-like suits, gloves, goggles and respirators in them.

As for the drugs, police think there is possibly a bad batch is going around. That batch is killing people almost every day now. In Chelsea over the weekend, there were four deadly overdoses.

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