http://www.kptv.com/news/23524081/detail.html

2 Vials Of Drug Missing, 1 Tampered With

POSTED: 6:11 pm PDT May 11, 2010

UPDATED: 6:58 pm PDT May 11, 2010

CAMAS, Wash. -- A paramedic is accused of stealing a painkiller used for heart attack victims from a Camas Fire Department ambulance and replacing it with saline solution.

Bradley Allen was taken into custody last week on suspicion of tampering with and stealing narcotics. The arrest was spurred by a police investigation into missing vials of fentanyl citrate, a liquid drug that is 10 times stronger than morphine.

The 22-year veteran was in charge of training paramedics and ordering medication for units.

Camas Fire Chief Leo Leon worked with Allen for five years. He said he was stunned when the medics found two vials of the narcotic were missing and one was tampered with during a daily supply check. Allen then produced the missing medication, according to The Columbian.

"They did a search of the station and Brad (Allen) was able to find the two missing vials. I was really in disbelief because we all work together. It was shocking, really," Leon said.

Police said they believe Allen may have replaced the fentanyl with saline solution -- which could have created a dangerous situation in the field, paramedics said.

Firefighter paramedic Callie Fraiser said the allegations are disappointing.

"As firefighter paramedics, we’re held to a higher standard than other public servants. And things that have gone wrong, it makes us all look bad," she said.

Camas police are waiting for laboratory results to determine what substance was left in the discovered vials. Depending on the results, officers said, Allen could face more charges.

In the meantime, paramedics are still grappling with the incident.

"It’s quite a traumatic thing because I think this is probably the worst thing to happen to this department in its history," Leon said.