For Immediate Release

Tuesday, July 5, 2015

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Dixon Police Chief Danny Langloss Honored by P.A.A.R.I. at One-year Anniversary Event

DIXON, Ill. and GLOUCESTER, Mass. — The Dixon Police Department is pleased to announce that Chief Danny Langloss was honored at the One Year Anniversary celebration of the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) last week. He was recognized for his leadership and innovation in helping citizens take back their lives, and placing police officers in a new role assisting those in the grip of substance use disorders to retake their lives.

On Thursday, June 30, Chief Langloss received a P.A.A.R.I. Police Leadership Award for his dedication and contribution to the organization’s success over the past year. Chief Langloss was among three law enforcement leaders honored at an awards ceremony at the Gloucester House restaurant. P.A.A.R.I. also honored treatment center and government leaders who have contributed to the organization over the past year.

P.A.A.R.I. was founded in June 2015 by Gloucester, Mass. Police Chief Leonard Campanello and businessman John Rosenthal to bridge the gap between police departments and those struggling with the disease of addiction. Chief Langloss and the Dixon Police Department joined P.A.A.R.I. later that summer, making Dixon the first P.A.A.R.I. law enforcement partner outside of Massachusetts.

Along with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Dixon Police launched the Safe Passage Initiative, modeled after the Gloucester ANGEL Initiative, aimed at encouraging those suffering from addiction to seek the help of police officers and sheriff’s deputies, who will in turn get them into treatment. 

“I am honored and humbled to be recognized by the leaders of the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative,” said Chief Langloss, who traveled to Gloucester to receive the award. “Together, we are changing the national conversation about law enforcement’s role in the opioid and heroin crisis that has claimed so many lives.”

Chief Langloss’ work has contributed significantly to the growth of the initiative and has helped to place 90 of people into treatment. Additionally, his efforts have gained endorsements from organizations like the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and seven other police departments in Illinois have joined based largely on Chief Langloss’ work.

In addition to launching the Safe Passage Initiative, the Dixon Police Department and Lee County Sheriff’s Department also created a jail diversion program with the Lee County Jail to help inmates learn about and recover from opioid addiction. Launched in January, this program offers reading material and eventually counseling opportunities for those interested in researching addiction, or for those working toward overcoming their addiction.

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, nearly 140 police departments in 26 states have joined as partners with the initiative.

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