For Immediate Release
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 781-791-7627
Email: john@jgpr.net
Dover, Delaware Police Department Joins P.A.A.R.I. To Launch Addiction Recovery Initiative
DOVER, Del. – Chief Paul M. Bernat announces that the Dover Police Department has partnered with the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) to establish the department’s addiction recovery program, the ANGEL Program. Dover Police Department is P.A.A.R.I.’s first partner in Delaware, marking the program’s expansion into 25 states nationwide.
The department officially launched its program on June 30, modeling it after the Gloucester ANGEL Initiative. The ANGEL Program encourages residents seeking to overcome their addiction to simply walk into the police station, turn over their drugs and paraphernalia, and ask for help. This process will never result in criminal charges or penalties. Instead, they will be assigned a volunteer “angel” that is trained to provide encouragement and advice to help them on their road to recovery. Then, they will be placed into a drug treatment program regardless of their financial means or insurance coverage.
“It is a privilege to collaborate with such a groundbreaking organization,” Chief Bernat said. “P.A.A.R.I. erases the stigma associated with the disease of addiction and provides police departments with a greater variety of resources to help our communities. We look forward to the partnership and are honored to help P.A.A.R.I. reach 25 states.”
Joining with P.A.A.R.I. will give the Dover Police Department access to a nationwide network of treatment centers to offer recovery services to program participants. Additionally, the Dover Police have also partnered with Connections Community Support Programs to help those recovering from drug addiction find healthcare, affordable housing, and employment.
Chief Campanello and John Rosenthal, co-founders of P.A.A.R.I., are pleased to welcome the Dover Police Department to the growing list of law enforcement partners who have committed themselves to bridging the gap between police departments and those who suffer from the disease of addiction. They commend Chief Bernat and his staff for taking the necessary steps to help those who are suffering from addiction and for working to change the way law enforcement handles this devastating disease.
About P.A.A.R.I.
P.A.A.R.I. was started to support local police departments as they work with those struggling with the disease of addiction. Rather than arrest our way out of the problem of drug addiction, P.A.A.R.I. committed police departments:
- Encourage opioid drug users to seek recovery
- Help distribute life saving opioid blocking drugs to prevent and treat overdoses
- Connect people suffering with opioid addiction with treatment programs and facilities
- Provide resources to other police departments and communities that want to do more to fight the opioid addiction epidemic
P.A.A.R.I. was created by Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello and John Rosenthal to bridge the gap between police departments and those struggling with the disease of addiction. Since its founding, police departments in 25 states have joined as partners with the initiative.
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