Pleasantville Police Chief Erik Grutzner will attend the annual Police Assisted Addiction Recovery Initiative conference in Boston this weekend.<\/p>\n
PAARI helps local police departments address the problem of opioid addiction in their communities, and also aims to change the conversation regarding police officers with drug problems.<\/p>\n
Grutzner said PAARI \u201cis attempting to change the nature of the dialogue regarding police departments and those suffering from opioid addiction.\u201d<\/p>\n
PAARI began in 2015, in Gloucester, Massachusetts, when Police Chief Leonard Campanello developed a new solution to combat the war on drugs.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of arrest,\u201d Grutzner explains, \u201cdepartments that participate in PAARI offer outreach and assistance to people suffering from the disease of addiction. They have a network of rehab facilities and social services providers that police departments can tap into when someone comes looking for help.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to PAARI’s website, the organization aims to challenge the stigma around officers afflicted with a drug problem. Their mission \u201cis to support the Gloucester Police addiction initiatives, to aid other police departments to implement similar programs, and to foster a dialogue around the unique opportunity for police departments to take direct action against the disease of drug addiction in their communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this point, Pleasantville has not entered into this partnership,” Grutzner said. “My attendance at the conference is our first exposure to the program. However, the Pleasantville PD has assisted a few individuals find help without arrest or judgment. I believe this work is crucial to combat the opioid epidemic, and I am excited about the opportunities participation in this initiative will provide.”<\/p>\n\n