Police Released Footage After Officer Overdosed During Traffic Stop

Bodycam footage recently released by the police in Florida captured a chilling scene where an officer seemed to ‘overdose’ on fentanyl during a typical traffic stop.Police departments frequently make public bodycam videos from various incidents to highlight criminal actions.

However, this time, the footage focused on Officer Courtney Bannick from the Tavares Police Department.

In December 2022, Officer Bannick was part of a team conducting a standard traffic stop when she came across a driver with fentanyl concealed inside a dollar bill.

While questioning the passenger, Officer Bannick wore protective gloves as she handled the drug.

Despite this precaution, the gloves did not fully protect her from the dangerous substance.

Suddenly, Officer Bannick lost consciousness and collapsed in the middle of the road, leaving her in a critical condition, fighting for her life.

Her fellow officers tried gently to revive her by softly tapping on her face.

“She’s not breathing, Ronnie, hit her again,” shouted one of the officers.

The Tavares Police Department

Miraculously, Officer Bannick regained consciousness after what seemed to be an overdose.

In a subsequent interview with FOX35 Orlando, her colleague, Officer Courtney Sullivan, remarked:

“She was completely lifeless, she looked deceased in these videos. So she is very thankful today.

“If the other officers weren’t there, there’s a very high chance and probability that today would be different and that we would be wearing our thin blue line – the straps that go over our badges.”

After the incident, Officer Bannick spoke about the risks associated with handling narcotics, stating:

“I have done this 100 times before the same way. It only takes one time and a minimal amount. I’m thankful I wasn’t alone and had immediate help.”

At that time, the individuals in the car were facing potential felony charges.

The Tavares Police Department

In 2023, experts interviewed by NPR reported that police officers are experiencing severe medical symptoms either from touching or inhaling powdered fentanyl ‘every few weeks’.

Despite Officer Bannick’s ordeal, these experts maintained that the officers were not actually suffering from fentanyl or opioid overdoses.

“This has never happened,” declared Dr. Ryan Marino, a toxicologist and emergency room physician with a focus on addiction at Case Western Reserve University.

“There has never been an overdose through skin contact or accidentally inhaling fentanyl.”

“Fentanyl does not pass through the skin efficiently or well,” Dr. Marino added.

“The dry powder form that is commonly found in street drugs will not significantly penetrate the skin.”

“There’s never been a toxicologically confirmed case,” explained Brandon Del Pozo, a former police chief who now studies addiction and drug policy at Brown University.

“The concept of it lingering in the air and being inhaled is extremely unlikely – it’s nearly impossible.”

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