LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A group of 20 lawmakers backs a bill to require more rigorous medical training for police officers.
The bill sponsor is Republican state Rep. Hank Vaupel. He says some rural police aren't properly equipped to rescue people undergoing heroin or prescription opioid overdoses. His bill would require all emergency first responders, including police, to stay current on CPR training suited for the overdoses.
Medical experts say opioids can often shut down breathing, and they need mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in some cases. But Vaupel says he spoke with two police chiefs who don't require their departments to be trained in rescue breathing.
George Basar is Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police legislative director. He calls the bill unnecessary because recruits trained in the state's 20 police academies already must learn rescue breathing.
Hans Ahlström is the host of several programs including the daily musical variety show Weekday, the mostly straight ahead jazz show Night Studio, the self explanatory Blues Today, and the eclectic Sound Spectrum. You can also hear Hans as the local host of NPR's All Things Considered news magazine. He also helps manage Public Radio 90's web content, interviews local and visiting writers and artists, works with NMU student interns, and writes the occasional news story.