A state grant has paid for nearly 200 opiate overdose antidote kits for Butler County police departments.

Butler County commissioners in June approved applying for the $10,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The grant is a collaboration among the county criminal justice advisory board, the sheriff and the district attorney.

The grant paid for about 180 kits of Naloxone, which sometimes is known by its brand name Narcan. The county bought half now and will buy the other half later, since the drug has an expiration date.

By the end of December, the county received its kits and trained officers from participating departments.

“All the kits are distributed now,” said Sheriff Mike Slupe.

Slupe said all departments in the county are participating except Buffalo Township, Portersville, Prospect and Zelienople.

He said that the goal of the program is to keep more people from dying of drug overdoses.

"We're trying to save lives,” Slupe said.

Former Gov. Tom Corbett in September signed into law Act 139, which allows emergency first responders, including firefighters, police and EMTs, to administer the drug. Before that, only trained paramedics could give the drug.

The Butler Township police received six kits and all 21 officers there went through training.

The department already has had to use the kits. On Friday at 12:50 a.m., someone was found overdosed and the antidote was used. Then, at about lunchtime on Friday, someone was found overdosing in the parking lot of the police station.

In both cases, the antidote was successful.

Chief John Hays said this is the first time the department has had Naloxone kits. He said having them will be good for the department.

“It's going to be another service we can provide,” Hays said. “It's going to be beneficial to the public.