The first call went out at 9:30 p.m.
It was Nov. 26, and 30-year-old Steven Vieria was on a regular overnight patrol for the Dover Police Department. The police communications center tried to reach him over the radio and, when he didn’t respond, police said they called his cellphone multiple times.
When Vieria still didn’t answer, police said a dispatch was sent to search for him. They found him 12 minutes later by Schutte Park in Dover, where police said he was unconscious and overdosing in the front seat of his patrol car.
Vieria was revived with two doses of Narcan – the overdose-reversing nasal spray – and taken to Bayhealth Hospital’s Kent Campus, Dover police said.
While officers first thought accidental fentanyl exposure was to blame, they soon found an eyeglass case of oxycodone and drug paraphernalia in the car, according to the Delaware Department of Justice. A criminal investigation was opened that same night, according to Dover police, and Vieria was put on indefinite administrative leave the following day.
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On Jan. 11, the Dover Police Department said they learned from the Delaware Division of Forensic Science that Vieria’s blood was positive for fentanyl and marijuana on the night of his overdose. Police also reported that an internal investigation showed no misconduct by Vieria in any drug-related arrests.
“When viewed through a human lens, the Dover Police Department has empathy for anyone battling the challenges associated with drug abuse,” said Dover Police Chief Thomas Johnson Jr. in a statement. “However; when viewed through a professional lens, this kind of behavior can never be tolerated.”
Vieria pleaded guilty to charges of driving under the influence and official misconduct on Tuesday, according to the state Department of Justice. As part of his plea, the department said he resigned from the police force, permanently forfeited his law enforcement credentials and agreed to undergo substance abuse treatment.
“This sentence allows (Vieria) to get the help he needs while permanently separating him from a position of public trust because he can no longer be trusted,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings in a statement.
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Vieria’s struggle with addiction “is a familiar story for thousands of Delawareans,” Jennings said.
Delaware, like the rest of the U.S., has faced ever-rising rates of substance use and overdoses, according to the National Institutes of Health, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made it only worse. The state reported a record high of 447 overdose deaths in 2020 – the latest in a trend that the Division of Forensic Science expects to continue to grow.
“This incident is a sharp reminder that the continuing crisis of illicit substance abuse occurs in all segments of society,” Johnson, the Dover chief, said in a statement. “Identifying those affected, and getting them into treatment, is critical to saving lives and preventing addiction’s harmful side effects.”
How to get help with addiction
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, contact Delaware’s Hope Line at 833-9-HOPEDE.
If there’s a medical emergency or you believe someone is overdosing, call 911.
To connect with a specialist or get family support, go to drugfree.org/delaware for more resources.
You can also find more Delaware-specific information at HelpIsHereDE.com.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on Twitter at @h_edelman.
