A Washington state police sergeant found unconscious in his office died of fentanyl and methamphetamine poisoning, according to authorities.
Sergeant Richard Kelly, 54, was pronounced dead on August 10 at a local hospital in Battle Ground, Washington after being discovered in the department.
At the time of his death, Battle Ground police said he experienced a medical emergency while on duty.
The autopsy results were released Thursday, as department chief Mike Fort ordered an independent audit of how officers handle seized narcotics and other evidence.
Police in Vancouver, Washington, investigated Kelly’s death and concluded that it was “more likely than not caused by an intentional act and not by an incidental workplace exposure,” the statement said.
Sergeant Richard Kelly, 54, was found unconscious in his police station. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital on August 10, according to a department news release
It was later determined that Kelly died of a fentanyl and methamphetamine overdose that was ‘more likely than not caused by an intentional act’
Chief Fort said he will implement training changes in his department if necessary, based on the investigation’s findings.
“Substance abuse is a serious problem that often goes unsuspected and unnoticed,” the chief said.
“As a community, we must support local efforts to help anyone struggling with the effects of mental health and substance abuse so they can achieve recovery.”
Fort’s comments, along with the Vancouver Police Department’s findings, indicate that Kelly may have been suffering from an addiction before his unexpected death.
The sergeant had been with the Battle Ground Police Department since 2005. The department serves the city – about 30 minutes outside of Portland, Oregon – with a population of approximately 22,000.
Fort said in a statement that he wanted to “once again thank the community and other law enforcement agencies for their compassionate support of the men and women of the Battle Ground Police Department as we mourn the shock of this death.”
“Sgt Kelly’s unexpected death was a significant and traumatic event for his colleagues, family and friends.”
When ingested, it is extremely easy to overdose on fentanyl, which is regularly used to cut back on hard drugs like cocaine and heroin.
The DEA warns that as little as two milligrams of fentanyl — which is similar in appearance to 10 to 15 grains of table salt — is considered fatal.
The drug binds to receptors in the brain and causes a feeling of numbness, euphoria and sedation.
Over time, it reduces the sensitivity of the receptors, ultimately leading to opioids being the only way a person can achieve those feelings. This leads to addiction.
When someone overdoses, breathing can stop, depriving the brain and other parts of the body of oxygen. As a result, a person will suffer serious brain damage.
This can often be fatal. Even survivors will often suffer permanent brain damage.
Kelly was found unconscious while on duty at the Battle Ground, Washington police station
A kilo of fentanyl was hidden on play mats at a Bronx daycare center, resulting in the death of a one-year-old boy in September
The fentanyl epidemic continues to ravage America with no apparent signs of slowing down anytime soon.
In September, enough fentanyl was found at a Bronx daycare center to kill 500,000 people.
Three toddlers died as a result of accidentally inhaling the deadly opioid. The daycare owner and her cousin face possible life sentences for running an unapproved pill mill through the center, unbeknownst to the parents.
Over the past year, several officers are also believed to have suffered a near-fatal overdose from handling fentanyl at the scene of a crime — although experts say skin contact with the drug alone would likely not immediately lead to an overdose.