A new STAT-Harvard poll illustrates overwhelming support for the Gloucester ANGEL Initiative and similar programs that have been implemented by police departments throughout the country to tackle the nation’s current opioid epidemic.

The poll interviewed 1,011 randomly selected adults 18 and older from March 3-6.

Results indicated that 80 percent of people surveyed support treatment over jail time for those struggling with the disease of addiction. A message, beginning with Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello, that has resonated with many.

Beginning in June, Chief Campanello launched the ANGEL Initiative — calling for a change in the way addiction is handled by law enforcement officials. Today, under the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative, 90 police departments throughout the U.S. have begun implementing programs to end the stigma of addiction by helping those affected by the disease receive the treatment they need to recover without the fear of arrest or jail time.