“I was born and raised in the Bronx, the opioid crisis is a sad reality for Bronx residents. As a police officer I have the opportunity to help those in need, and that’s what I was able to do,” said Police Officer Arias.
As a lifelong Bronx resident and dedicated cop, Officer Arias wants to use his position to help those battling drug addiction in his community. On August 17th, he was able to do just that. Police Officers Arias, Miolan-Marcano, and Eusebio were patrolling the streets of the Bronx in the confines of the 52 Precinct when a concerned pedestrian approached their department vehicle. The passerby informed the officers that a man had collapsed in the street. The officers immediately exited their vehicle and rushed to the victim’s side.
At the scene, Officer Eusebio’s training kicked in as he performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the unconscious man. At the same time, Officer Miolan-Marcano cleared the area and called over the department radio for medical assistance. Further assessment of the man’s physical state led the officers to suspect he was experiencing a drug overdose. At this point, Officer Arias took out his department-issued Naloxone and administered one dose to the unconscious man. Officer Arias described his thoughts as he administered the lifesaving drug:
“I saw a person, a victim to drugs, losing his life and I didn’t want him to die. I wanted him to live and have the opportunity to fight his battle and hopefully win to see another day.”
Officer Arias performed CPR for several minutes as he continued to monitor the man’s vital signs. Finally, the man regained consciousness and began to breathe again. The overdose victim was transported to the hospital by EMS and is in stable condition.
