Loveland Police Station Now Offers Free Narcan in 24-Hour Public Kiosk

The Loveland Police Department installed a naloxone kiosk in its 24-hour public lobby, becoming one of the first law enforcement agency in Larimer County to offer around-the-clock public access to the overdose-reversal medication at no cost.

The kiosk allows residents to pick up Narcan nasal spray kits without identification requirements or questions asked. The department announced the installation November 10 as part of a broader effort to address opioid overdose deaths that have increased sharply across Northern Colorado in recent years.

Chief Tim Doran, SummitStone Health Partners co-responder teams and detectives from the police drug task force collaborated to establish the kiosk at the police station at 810 East 10th Street.

"Dangerous narcotics continue circulating across the U.S., including here," the department stated. "No one deserves loss due to addiction or accidental exposure."

Overdose Deaths Climb 120 Percent in Larimer County Since 2015

Opioid overdose deaths in Larimer County increased from 23 in 2015 to 42 in 2023, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The county's death rate rose from 7.3 per 100,000 residents in 2015 to 16.1 per 100,000 in 2023—a 120 percent increase over eight years.

Loveland has averaged five to seven confirmed opioid overdose deaths per year from 2020 through 2023, up from two to three annual deaths between 2015 and 2017, according to county coroner records.

Fentanyl drove the increase across Northern Colorado. By 2023, fentanyl was implicated in more than 60 percent of all opioid overdose deaths in Larimer and Weld Counties, up from less than 25 percent in 2018.

The department emphasized that fentanyl risks extend beyond people who use illegal drugs. "Seniors juggling prescriptions and children getting into medication face risk too," according to the announcement.

Police Station Kiosk First of Its Kind in County

The Loveland Police Department's kiosk represents the first public self-service naloxone access point operated by law enforcement in Larimer County. While Fort Collins Police Services and Greeley Police Department have operated officer naloxone programs and partnered with health organizations for distribution at community events since 2022, no other police agency in the region has installed public kiosks.

Several Weld County and Fort Collins police agencies began mobile outreach distribution teams in late 2022 and early 2023, but those programs require interaction with officers or health workers during scheduled events.

Naloxone became available over-the-counter at Colorado pharmacies in August 2023 following FDA approval of Narcan 4mg nasal spray for national sale without prescription. Colorado enacted legislation in 2019 allowing pharmacists to dispense naloxone without individual prescriptions, and county health departments received state funding to expand distribution that year.

SummitStone Health Partners, Larimer County's designated provider for mental health and substance use disorder services, operates harm reduction programs including free naloxone distribution and overdose prevention training. The organization staffs co-responder units that partner with Loveland Police on calls involving substance use or mental health crises.

The co-responder program began in Loveland in 2018 and expanded in 2022 with increased overdose interventions and naloxone deployment.

Colorado Law Protects Naloxone Users From Liability

Colorado Revised Statutes provide criminal immunity for individuals who report an overdose in good faith, including protection from prosecution for simple drug possession and immunity for those who administer naloxone. The law requires that the reporting person remain at the scene and cooperate with law enforcement.

State law also grants civil liability protection to lay rescuers who administer naloxone during a perceived overdose in good faith. The immunity standard requires ordinary negligence, not gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Any person in Colorado may legally possess and distribute naloxone under state law. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment guidelines authorize police departments to acquire, stock and distribute naloxone as part of harm reduction programs provided staff complete minimal state-approved training.

Treatment and Harm Reduction Resources Available

SummitStone Health Partners provides outpatient and intensive outpatient opioid use disorder treatment, including medication-assisted treatment, at 970-494-4200. The organization accepts Medicaid and uninsured patients.

The Northern Colorado Harm Reduction Alliance offers syringe exchange, naloxone kits, fentanyl test strips and educational workshops based in Fort Collins with mobile services to Loveland and rural areas.

Colorado Crisis Services operates a 24-hour hotline and walk-in centers at 1-844-493-8255 for substance use and mental health emergencies.

SummitStone Health Partners, Larimer County Department of Health and North Range Behavioral Health provide free naloxone training to all residents, including virtual and in-person sessions with train-the-trainer programs available for community organizations.

The police station lobby at 810 East 10th Street remains open 24 hours daily for kiosk access.