BOSTON — The Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) is pleased to announce that it will hold its third annual National Law Enforcement Summit next week, with the U.S. Surgeon General and White House Drug Czar confirmed to speak.
In its first two years, the event brought together hundreds of law enforcement and recovery leaders from across the country to share their collaborative efforts to combat America’s opioid epidemic in their own communities. The summit aims to equip these leaders with concrete, practical solutions that they can use to prevent overdose deaths and provide lasting help to those suffering from substance use disorders.
The 2019 P.A.A.R.I. Summit will be held Dec. 4-6. After two years in Boston, this year’s event will be held in Washington D.C. at three locations adjacent to the U.S. Capitol.
“We look forward to building on the tremendous success of our first two summits and offer an event that provides a unique opportunity to connect local solutions to federal policy,” P.A.A.R.I. Executive Director Allie Hunter said. “As the opioid epidemic continues to take a toll on our communities nationwide, it is inspiring to see so many law enforcement leaders and recovery advocates come together in one place to share their ideas and work to find solutions to this crisis.”
Wednesday, Dec. 4, will feature a briefing hosted by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, taking place on White House grounds. This briefing will provide a unique and important opportunity to share updates and exchange ideas with ONDCP Director James Carroll, commonly known as the Drug Czar, and other representatives from the agency that oversees drug policies and activities out of the Executive Office of the President.
There will also be a Networking Reception at Logan Tavern at 7 p.m. Wednesday evening, which is hosted by NarCase.com.
Opening remarks by Ret. Chief Fred Ryan of the Arlington Police Department and Hunter will kick off the events on Thursday, Dec. 5.
A Keynote Address will be delivered by U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Jerome M. Adams.
Other speakers during the day will include Congressman Bill Keating (MA), Congressman Paul Tonko (NY), U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and representatives from police departments in Massachusetts, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland, Ohio and Michigan. There will also be a special presentation by Barbara Stewart, CEO, Corporation for National & Community Service.
Topics discussed during the day will include post-overdose outreach, the neuroscience of addiction, how to make referrals to evidence based treatment, the relationship between stigma and language and personal stories from people in recovery.
The morning session will take place at the Rayburn House Office Building, the afternoon session will be held at the Russell Senate Office Building, and the evening session will be held at the Hart Senate Office Building.
The summit will end Friday, Dec. 6, with optional post-summit training, networking and advocacy opportunities.
Guests will have the opportunity to meet with legislators to discuss the opioid epidemic and local efforts to address it. Anyone interested can email maxxrecoverycorps@paariusa.org for a template email to request a meeting.
P.A.A.R.I. encourages guests to call or email their legislators to request a meeting by Friday, Nov. 29.
Events on Thursday are open to the media, but Wednesday and Friday events are not.
Click here to see photos from last year’s National Law Enforcement Summit at Harvard Medical School. For videos, Powerpoint presentations and handouts from past events, click here and here.
The event is sponsored and supported by RIZE Massachusetts, the Stardust Foundation, Emergent BioSolutions / NARCANDirect.com, NarCase.com, Alkermes, CleanSlate and Wayne Earl Chinnock Photography.
Registration details:
Registration is open to all. There is a registration fee of $100, which can be waived upon request if cost is a barrier to attendance.
Pre-registration by Dec. 1 is required. A ticket provides access to all events and sessions offered during the three-day event.
To register via Eventbrite, click here.
Travel details can be found here and the working agenda can be found here.
Anyone with questions can contact Hunter at allie@paariusa.org or 508-212-9831.
About P.A.A.R.I.:
The Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help law enforcement agencies nationwide create non-arrest pathways to treatment and recovery. Founded alongside the groundbreaking Gloucester MA Police Department Angel Initiative in June 2015, P.A.A.R.I. has been a driving force behind this rapidly expanding community policing movement. We provide technical assistance, coaching, grants, and other capacity-building resources to more than 500 police departments in 33 states. We currently work with more than 130 law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts alone. P.A.A.R.I. and our law enforcement partners are working towards a collective vision where non-arrest diversion programs become a standard policing practice across the country, thereby reducing overdose deaths, expanding access to treatment, improving public safety, reducing crime, diverting people away from the criminal justice system, and increasing trust between law enforcement and their communities. Our programs and partners have saved thousands of lives, changed police culture, reshaped the national conversation about the opioid epidemic and have placed over 22,000 people into treatment since its founding in June 2015. Learn more at www.paariusa.org.
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