Lewiston Police say they have determined that the death of officer Nicholas Meserve in February was caused by an accidental overdose of Fentanyl. Police also say Meserve had taken drug evidence from a crime scene less than one month before he died.
In a press release, police chief Brian O'Malley says that it appears that Meserv, who was 34, took drug evidence from a crime scene in January that involved the synthetic opioid Fentanyl. O’Malley says that none of his fellow officers had any knowledge of his substance-use disorder or his possession of illegal drugs.
O'Malley says that the city is in negotiations with the police unions to establish a drug testing policy, and that it maintains an employee assistance program and a peer support team. He describes Meserve’s death as a reminder that "the opioid epidemic touches the lives of many in the community regardless of their wealth, race, religion and profession."
