The ‘only town’ in America where cops grant amnesty to drug addicts seeking help

[Disir]

The coastal Massachusetts town of Gloucester was in the middle of a quiet Friday evening this March when a phone call disturbed the police chief relaxing at home. Another deadly heroin overdose had just hit the city, the chief learned. It marked Gloucester’s fourth that year. Leonard Campanello put down the phone. He turned the grim math over in his head — four deaths, three months, in a city of 30,000 people.

Then Campanello, a stout commander who more growls than talks, stood up and rumbled over to the computer. He’s the sort of police chief who maintains an active presence on social media. He posts frequent “Gloucester Police Chief Updates” — episodic fireside chats delivered from his desk — to the police department’s Facebook page. Most of those remarks barely ripple — a dozen ‘likes’ at most.

But that was about to change. “Since January of this year, we have responded to dozens of opiate-related overdoses and, unfortunately, the City has seen 4 deaths in this time that are heroin related,” he wrote, adding: “4 deaths is 4 too many.” Then in a moment Campanello now recalls as extemporaneous, he continued. “If you are a user of opiates or heroin, let us help you. We know you do not want this addiction. We have resources here in the City that can and will make a difference in your life. Do not become a statistic.”
The only town in America where cops grant amnesty to drug addicts seeking help - The Washington Post

Good job. He is awesome. That is going to be a game changer providing they have resources.

 

[Pete7469]

It is a different solution than prison, and that "solution" creates more problems. I'm glad someone is trying something new.

 

[bucs90]

Until homeless addicts start moving there. And overwhelming his resources.

Then locals start bitching about vagrants and homeless addicts laying on sidewalks. And petty crime ticks up as a result of addicts needing money to get by.

There's a reason....well....they'll find out soon enough.

 

[Pete7469]

Until homeless addicts start moving there. And overwhelming his resources.

Then locals start bitching about vagrants and homeless addicts laying on sidewalks. And petty crime ticks up as a result of addicts needing money to get by.

There's a reason....well....they'll find out soon enough.

Then limit the resource to locals, and send the vagrants to the county holding center.

 

[Disir]

Until homeless addicts start moving there. And overwhelming his resources.

Then locals start bitching about vagrants and homeless addicts laying on sidewalks. And petty crime ticks up as a result of addicts needing money to get by.

There's a reason....well....they'll find out soon enough.

That depends on what kind of resources they have. If it's the same that everyone else has then the country will have no choice to but to start paying attention to the resources. They suck.

Even so, winter is coming. They won't be traveling north.