The Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative (PAARI) is a nationwide nonprofit that provides essential training, strategic guidance, support, and resources to help law enforcement agencies develop and implement law enforcement deflection and diversion programs in their community. These pathways to treatment and recovery are designed to intervene before individuals enter the criminal justice system.
Recognizing the critical role law enforcement plays in addressing the opioid epidemic, the Gloucester Police Department launched the Angel Program in June 2015. This innovative initiative created a simple, stigma-free entry point to treatment on demand, reframing addiction as a disease rather than a crime. PAARI was founded alongside the Angel Program as a nonprofit to help other law enforcement agencies replicate this groundbreaking Law Enforcement Deflection and diversion model, reducing overdose deaths and expanding access to treatment and recovery.
Today, PAARI is a national network of over 800 public safety agencies across 46 states, primarily supporting Law Enforcement Deflection and early diversion programs. These programs are customized to meet community needs and utilize various entry points to treatment, including self-referrals to police stations and proactive outreach based on risk or incidents. Cross-sector collaboration is vital, with partnerships often involving clinicians, social workers, recovery coaches/peers, and trained volunteers.
Law enforcement or public safety agencies interested in creating or enhancing non-arrest pathways to treatment can join PAARI free of charge. Members gain access to a wealth of resources, including technical assistance, webinars, convenings, a network of like-minded agencies, capacity building, and connections to specialized training. To join or request further information, agencies can simply complete the online form.
Our Mission
Support police and public safety programs that promote access to treatment and recovery for people with substance use disorders by
- Breaking down silos between public health and public safety
- Supporting better treatment and access to long-term recovery
- Keeping health equity front and center
Our Story
For decades, municipal police officers have been on the front lines of the war on drugs, often arresting individuals struggling with addiction rather than focusing on those trafficking drugs. This approach did little to address the root cause of the crisis—addiction itself. In 2015, the Gloucester, Massachusetts Police Chief pioneered a revolutionary approach by focusing on demand reduction rather than supply. Through the Angel Program, individuals seeking help from the police were taken directly to a hospital and placed in a recovery program—no arrest, no jail.
PAARI was established to support the Gloucester Police’s “Angel Program” addiction initiative and to assist other departments in implementing similar law enforcement deflection and diversion programs. By collaborating with the medical community and evidence-based recovery programs, law enforcement can significantly impact their communities by saving lives, reducing addiction, and lowering the demand for opioids.
We are committed to removing the stigma associated with addiction, shifting the narrative from crime to disease.
