EAST BRUNSWICK – The East Brunswick Police Department (EBPD) has partnered with the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) to launch the department’s Opiate Outreach Initiative.
Through the department’s program, which was launched on Jan. 1, East Brunswick police will work with P.A.A.R.I. to place participants into treatment, according to a statement prepared by the East Brunswick Police Department. The department already carries nasal Naloxone, an antidote to heroin commonly known as Narcan, in all police vehicles.
Modeled after the Arlington Outreach Initiative, the EBPD’s initiative seeks to form a community partnership between the department, local substance abuse health care professionals and treatment centers to proactively engage in outreach activities to known addicts by offering support/resources to addicts, their families and other loved ones.
The agency outreach program will identify local residents who are determined to be “at risk” due to previous history of overdoses, known addictions or officer referrals, according to the statement.
The police department’s Community Policing Unit will serve as the liaison contact between the resident and treatment centers. Residents who are suffering from addiction issues will be granted the opportunity to be screened into the program.
As part of the Opiate Outreach Initiative, the East Brunswick Police Department has also formally partnered with College Recovery to provide residential and outpatient drug and alcohol treatment options for participants. College Recovery will assist police with quickly responding to treatment requests by pre-screening participants for the appropriate level of care.