Beaver Co. 911 Dispatcher Charged After Overdosing With Kids In Home
BEAVER, Pa. (KDKA) -- Inside the Beaver County 911 center, operators field calls for emergencies.
But a dispatcher who works there recently had an emergency of her own, officials say Brittany Trainer of Pulaski Township overdosed on heroin in her home.
"The employee that was involved in this has been suspended without pay," said Joe Weidner, the chief-of-staff at the Beaver County Commissioner's Office.
Investigators say Trainer was passed out at home with various drug-related equipment strewn around. Her children also live in the home.
Weidner said Trainer had only been on the job for few weeks after months of training. She met all of the requirements to become a dispatcher.
"County employees are required to pass a drug screening and physical examination prior to them coming on board," Weidner said.
Once hired and in the position, no subsequent drug testing is required.
"I think that that should be something we evaluate moving forward," Weidner said.
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Beaver County has been hard hit be an influx of drug use. A recent sweep by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office took 75 suspected dealers off the street.
"We know this cuts across all socio-economic groups," Weidner said. "Race doesn't matter, education doesn't matter. It's a problem in our community."
Trainer will face child endangerment charges, but the Beaver County District Attorney's Office says there is a state statute that could give her immunity from drug-related charges because there was an overdose involved.