Gloucester's New ANGEL Initiative Has Provided 21 Drug Users With Treatment
GLOUCESTER (CBS) -- Gloucester's newest attempt to reduce drug abuse has only been in effect since June 1, and it has already had outstanding results.
The program, called The ANGEL Initiative, allows drug users to turn over their drugs to police without facing arrest. Instead, they're given immediate treatment.
Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello told lawmakers and health care officials that since the program's start, they've helped 21 drug users.
After meeting with lawmakers and Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken about plans to expand the program to the rest of Massachusetts, Campanello said he is amazed by the national attention this program has gained.
"It only solidifies our resolve in this respect. This is not an issue that affects so-called 'bad families' or families with low income. This touches millions of lives across the country, that they are polarized in their response to this," Campanello said.
State Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante said the legislature would like to learn from the successes of Gloucester's program, and fix some of the breakdowns in the statewide system.
"It's very interesting when we consistently hear there aren't enough beds," Rep. Ferrante says, "but then the Chief says, 'Oh no, I found beds.' And not only that, but when we've called for people they've said, 'If you have more people, please call us.' So there seems to be a disconnect between the person needing the bed and finding the bed. One of the things we want to look at is how do you streamline that process."
Gloucester Police hope that with the ANGEL Initiative, they will be able to reduce the state's opioid epidemic, which caused the deaths of over 1,000 people in Massachusetts last year.
WBZ-TV's Kim Tunnicliffe reports