HAMILTON, Ohio (AP) — A sheriff in an Ohio county with record numbers of overdose deaths in recent years is sticking to his long-standing refusal to allow deputies to carry an overdose-reversal drug.

Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones says he remains opposed for safety reasons because people can become hostile and violent after being revived with Narcan.

County emergency crews administer Narcan, and the Butler County Health Department has been offering free naloxone kits to relatives and friends of addicts.

Jones’ comments come after a city councilman in Butler County’s Middletown drew national attention with his suggestion that emergency crews should stop responding to people who repeatedly overdose.

Ohio is among the states hit hardest by the opioid crisis. Butler County had a record 192 drug overdose deaths last year.