Hertfordshire Constabulary revived several overdosed drug users in recent years

Since April 2023, officers have been trained in the use of nasal Naloxone – an opioid reversal medication which can revive people who have overdosed – in a project led by Herts’ County Community Safety Unit (CCSU), Herts Constabulary and social care charity Change Grow Live.

The same programme was also rolled out among Herts Fire and Rescue Service last year, which has seen one use of the medication.

Elsewhere, Herts’ CCSU team was also instrumental in issuing alerts about dangerous new drugs in the county, including synthetic opioids such as nitizines and fentanyl, “which are much stronger than heroin”.

The details emerged in an annual report of CCSU’s activities presented to members of the county council’s public health & community safety committee.

Established in 2010, the CCSU is an integrated Herts County Council and Herts Police team with cross-organisational line management arrangements. Its functions include producing intelligence reports to community safety organisations, including the annual report presented to the council committee.

One CCSU-managed project is the Drug Test on Arrest programme based at Hatfield and Stevenage police stations, funded by Herts Constabulary. It sees those arrested for drug-related offences face a compulsory test using an oral swab for recent opioid or cocaine use. In 2025/26, custody staff carried out 3,214 tests, of which 1,362 (42%) were positive.

Those who test positive must attend an assessment with a drug worker from Change Grow Live (CGL) to discuss treatment options. Non-attendance is also an offence.

The report, authored by community protection manager Gary Ray, states: “The team and colleagues from public health also support the coroner’s office to undertake an annual audit of drug-related deaths.

“This identified that the most frequent risk factors referenced are co-occurring substance use, mental health and living alone.

“The analysts are currently producing a drugs market profile with a focus on the supply of, and demand for opioids, cocaine, cannabis and ketamine in the county; however, all drug types are considered within the analysis.

“This work derives from an action in the community safety and enforcement priority of the current drug and alcohol strategy and will support the police and partners in addressing drug supply.”

Cllr John Hale thanked officers for the report and said he hoped the team would stay intact after local government reorganisation.

He said: “If there were three or four unitary authorities, we need one such team across Hertfordshire. I hope that we can manage somehow to preserve this team going forward because this sort of information, strategy and knowledge is so important.”

Cllr Paul Seeby said: “In regard to drug testing, how many of those people who failed the tests actually went on to treatment? Do we have any data on that?”

Councillor Ray said: “We are only now starting to get that performance management information in about the number of people who actually go into treatment, because we weren’t collecting it previously. We were just getting from police the numbers that were actually tested.

“We are starting to get those numbers in. I can’t give you anything at the moment; however, I’m happy to provide an update once we’ve developed the whole performance management around it.”