Officer Bernadette Erlach Uses Narcan To Save Two Lives

SCPD Officer Erlach Saves Two Lives With Drug That Stops Overdoses

SCPD Officer Bernadette Erlach

Twice in four months, an SCPD Naloxone-trained officer successfully revived a person suffering a narcotics overdose. Both times it was Officer Bernadette Erlach. In each case, Officer Erlach was the first responder to arrive on the scene and found the person unconscious and not breathing. Both times, Officer Erlach administered Naloxone (NARCAN) nasal spray and revived the victim. Thanks to the quick-acting officer, both victims survived.

On May 24, 2017, Officer Erlach responded to a person not breathing due to a heroin overdose. The person was near the train tracks behind Depot Park. When Officer Erlach arrived, she found the person unconscious and not breathing. Based on the symptoms, she applied Naloxone using an intranasal spray and began CPR. The person revived and began to breathe on their own until paramedics arrived.

On August 22, 2017, Officer Erlach overheard a medical call regarding a person overdosing in a hotel. The call was dispatched as "a person not conscious or breathing and possibly overdosed on heroin." When Officer Erlach arrived on the scene, she found the person on the floor in their hotel room with signs of narcotic use. The person was unconscious and not breathing. Officer Erlach applied Naloxone using an intranasal spray (NARCAN) and began life-saving measures. After about 10 to 15 seconds, the subject regained consciousness and sat up.

Last December, SCPD became the first law enforcement agency in Santa Cruz County to be trained in the use of Naloxone. The pilot program started with 12 SCPD officers equipped with life-saving Narcan kits. Officers train on how to recognize life threatening opioid overdoses from such drugs as heroin and prescription painkillers and administer the intranasal naloxone as an antidote. Since the pilot program started, SCPD officers have saved three persons using Narcan Kits.

Due to the success of the pilot program, SCPD is looking into expanding the program department wide. Early intervention by SCPD officers equipped with Narcan Kits increases the chances of survival for an overdose victim. The Narcan kits have become a useful tool in helping officers as first responders and in safeguarding lives.

Pilot program Naloxone provided to the Santa Cruz Police Department by Janus of Santa Cruz who received the Narcan through a Substance Abuse Block Grant.

SCPD Graduates 4 New Officers From The Academy

There is your regular “proud” and then there is a higher level of “SCPD Proud”.  Today, we are definitely “SCPD Proud” to introduce our 4 newest Police Officers who took the oath of office after their graduation from the police academy earlier today.   

SCPD command staff and Mayor Lynn Robinson were on hand to witness the graduation ceremony for Academy Class SB 125 of the South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium……(wow that’s a mouthful).   

Meet our newest officers:

Left to Right; Elizabeth Howard-Gibbon, Bernadette Erlach, Chief Kevin Vogel, Sarah Benjamin, Dominique Hohmann

Elizabeth Howard-Gibbon is 26 years old.  Elizabeth previously worked as a contractor for the USGS and was an esteemed member of the Best Buy Geek Squad.  Elizabeth graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.A. in Anthropology.

Bernadette Erlach is 25 years old.  Bernadette previously worked in real estate and the food service industry.  She graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. in Human Development.

Sarah Benjamin is 26 years old.  She started here at SCPD as a volunteer and eventually was hired as a Police Records Technician.  She is now a full-fledged Police Officer.  Sarah graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.S. in Sociology.

Dominique Hohmann is 22 years old.  Dominique is the niece of the legendary (retired) Lieutenant John Hohmann from Scotts Valley PD.  Dominique comes to us from the Clovis area where she has previous experience working with their police department as a non-sworn CSO.

It is not too often that we have an academy class of 4 or more people.  It is even more unusual when all of our recruits make it through the grueling 6 month long course and graduate together.  They proved they are as tough as they come!!!   

What is extra-special about this group is that this marks the first time in SCPD history we have graduated an all-female academy class.  Chief Vogel is extremely pleased to provide this opportunity to these four fantastic women. 

Not only did these women rise to the top in the hiring process, but they graduated near the top of their academy class.  We are excited about their future here at SCPD. 

Our newest officers will have about a week of orientation work to complete, then they will hit the streets with their training officers for a 4 month Field Training Program and evaluation before they are solo beat officers. 

Please join us in welcoming these fantastic new officers!!!