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Ten years ago, overdose deaths started to outpace automobile crashes as a leading cause of death in America. It was a dark, pre-COVID time. Many people were still blind to “today’s addict” — failing to understand that the people dying were skewing scarily younger and younger.
Those who weren’t blind to the trend: Families, of course. And the police officers who were responding to overdose after overdose, often multiple times per shift.
History of the Program
When the Gloucester, Mass. Police Department announced in 2015 that it would no longer arrest individuals seeking help for opioid addiction, it wasn’t just news. It was a turning point in American policing and substance use disorder.
The Gloucester ANGEL Initiative offered a radical alternative: Instead of criminal charges, people who walked into the station asking for help would be connected to treatment. Police officers became navigators, not enforcers — guardians, not gatekeepers.
Police officers and other volunteers, acting as “angels,” would guide them through the process, ensuring they received the support and care needed to combat their addiction. The first participant walked through the station doors within hours of the program’s start in June 2015. By year’s end, the program was being modeled to other states. Today nearly all 50 states have some form of police-led non-arrest program. Many of these programs were inspired by or directly modeled on the successful program in Gloucester. Quickly, it spurred nonprofit organizations to coordinate efforts, and Gloucester was being recognized nationally, earning headlines in The Washington Post and on NBC News.
NBC called it a “police revolution” sparked by the heroin crisis.
Behind the messaging, logistics, and eventual national expansion of this program stood John Guilfoil, founder of JGPR, who served as strategic communications architect and media liaison. Using Guilfoil’s public relations strategy, the program became a model for media relations, community trust, and government transparency. It soon evolved into the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative, and Guilfoil served as executive director during the launch.
In 2015, the communications work done to launch the ANGEL Initiative and PAARI earned JGPR its first-ever Gold Bell Ringer Award from the PR Club of New England for outstanding public affairs campaign execution. Concurrently, it was also the company’s first time being named a finalist for the Platinum Super Bell award, New England’s highest public relations honor.
After the first year, a 2016 publication in the New England Journal of Medicine confirmed what we already knew: Police-led addiction referral programs like the ANGEL Initiative don’t just feel good — they work.
In 2025, with new data on relapse, evolving drug trends, and increased community needs, these programs may be more essential than ever.
Here’s why it worked so well and continues to work today:
Impact on Police/Community Relations
- Trust Building: The initiative significantly improved trust between the police and the community. By offering help instead of punishment, the police demonstrated a genuine commitment to the well-being of community members, leading to enhanced mutual respect and cooperation.
- Reduced Stigma: The program helped reduce the stigma associated with addiction by treating it as a public health issue rather than a criminal one. This encouraged more people to seek help without fear of legal repercussions.
- Community Collaboration: The success of the initiative relied on partnerships with healthcare providers, treatment centers, and local organizations. This fostered a sense of community collaboration in addressing the opioid crisis.
Impact on the Opioid Epidemic (Addiction and Overdose)
- First, increased Treatment Access: By providing immediate access to treatment, the initiative helped many individuals who might not have sought help otherwise. This proactive approach ensured that more people received timely care, which is crucial in treating addiction.
- Reduction in Overdose Deaths: The program contributed to a decrease in opioid overdose deaths in Gloucester. By facilitating access to treatment and support services, it helped individuals reduce their dependence on opioids and improve their chances of recovery.
- Data-Driven Success: The program’s success was supported by data showing that a significant number of participants remained in treatment and achieved sobriety, highlighting the effectiveness of the approach.
Reasons for the Program’s Success
- Non-Punitive Approach: The initiative’s focus on treatment over incarceration marked a significant shift in policing addiction,. As a result, it became easier for individuals to seek help.
- Immediate Assistance: Offering immediate help rather than bureaucratic processes made it easier for people to access treatment and support.
- Strong Partnerships: Collaboration with healthcare providers, treatment centers, and community organizations ensured comprehensive care for participants. As a result, we were addressing not just the addiction but also underlying issues such as mental health and social support.
- Dedicated Resources: The program allocated resources specifically for addiction treatment, ensuring that individuals received the necessary care without delay.
- Community Support: Broad community support and involvement were crucial in the program’s success. The community’s understanding and acceptance of the initiative helped in its effective implementation.
Broader Implications
The Gloucester ANGEL Initiative has served as a model for other communities across the U.S. It has inspiring similar programs that aim to treat addiction as a public health crisis. Its success has highlighted the importance of compassionate and supportive approaches in addressing substance use disorder and has contributed to a broader shift in how law enforcement and communities respond to the opioid epidemic. By prioritizing health and support over punishment, the initiative has demonstrated a more humane and effective way to tackle addiction. Ultimately, this meant saving lives and improving community well-being.
As shown, Gloucester wasn’t the only program communicated by JGPR during the height of the opioid epidemic. The Arlington Outreach Initiative added a community outreach and educational component to traditional criminal justice practices. When the police department would arrest drug dealers, officers and co-responders would locate and contact the dealer’s customers before a new supplier swooped in. This provided a gap where a vulnerable person could be moved into treatment. The US Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs reviewed the program in 2017, concluding that it “increased community trust and brought a corresponding decline in property crime.”
Other contemporary police-led programs include Connecticut’s Community and Law Enforcement for Addiction Recovery (CLEAR) program.
💡 Why the ANGEL Initiative Still Matters in 2025
1. The Fentanyl Factor
In 2015, heroin dominated the data. Back then, synthetic opioids like fentanyl were just emerging as an increased source of overdoses. Fentanyl is up to 100x stronger, leading to faster overdoses and higher death rates. People don’t always get second chances. Programs that allow immediate help-seeking, like the ANGEL Initiative, are lifesaving in this context.
2. New Addictions: The Rise of Polysubstance Use
Participants in 2025 are less likely to use a single drug. Co-use of fentanyl, xylazine, benzos, or methamphetamine is common. These cases require complex, customized treatment, often through detox and long-term care — as the ANGEL model provides.
3. Overdose Rates Are Still High
Thirdly, in 2024, over 107,000 Americans died from drug overdoses, according to CDC data. Programs like Gloucester’s reduce barriers to care and increase engagement at the critical moment when someone reaches out for help.
Overdose deaths continue to claim lives. In fact, overdose deaths from psychostimulants (primarily methamphetamine) rose from 5,716 in 2015 to 34,022 deaths in 2022.
4. Public Health IS Public Safety
Finally, today’s residents expect more from police — not just enforcement, but also solutions. In a post-2020 climate, building trust is paramount. Programs like ANGEL demonstrate that officers can serve as public health allies, not just agents of punishment. When an authority like a police officer offers a hand, not handcuffs, it can trigger a moment of clarity. The person remembers the respect a police officer may have commanded when the person was a child.
🔧 How JGPR Helps You Launch a Modern-Day ANGEL Program
As the agency that helped launch the original, JGPR offers a comprehensive playbook for agencies and departments ready to act:
🔹 Strategic Communications Planning
We craft the core messaging framework: human-first, non-stigmatizing, and media-ready. Every sentence counts in shaping public perception.
🔹 Launch Toolkits
- Press release packages
- FAQ documents for residents
- Officer training scripts
- Graphics for website/social
🔹 Website First Implementation
We help you build a simple, clear call-to-action on your official municipal or police website:
“If you or someone you love needs help with addiction, you can come to the police station 24/7. No judgment. No arrest. We will help.”
All content points back to your owned web domain, where updates are centralized and searchable.
🔹 Social Media Strategy
Undoubtedly, platform-by-platform engagement (especially on Instagram and Facebook, where public health content tends to perform well) is important:
- “Stories of Recovery” spotlight reels
- Behind-the-scenes of officers transporting participants to care
- Mythbusting addiction stigma
🔹 Integration with State, County, and Nonprofit addiction/substance use Resources
We liaise with treatment centers, grant coordinators, and public health offices to help build sustainable care networks.
📣 Final Word: Ready to Lead?
Finally, whether you’re a chief of police, a city manager, or a county PIO, now is the time to act.
People are walking into police stations around the country every day. What happens next is up to you.
At JGPR, we help you ensure that “next” means hope, connection, and recovery — not a cell, a court date, or a tragedy.
Let’s build your program. Click here to connect with JGPR today.