Brockton

P.A.A.R.I Announces New Partnership With Brockton Police Department’s Champion Plan

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P.A.A.R.I.
John Rosenthal, Co-founder & Chairman
253 Amory Street
Boston, MA 02130

For Immediate Release

Friday, March 1, 2019

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

P.A.A.R.I Announces New Partnership With Brockton Police Department’s Champion Plan

BOSTON — Executive Director Allie Hunter McDade is very pleased to announce that the Office of Mayor Bill Carpenter, in partnership with the Brockton Police Department, Gandara Center, Brewster Ambulance and the Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative, is marking the third anniversary of its groundbreaking Champion Plan Program by partnering with the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I).

In three years since its launch, the city’s Champion Plan has come into contact with more than 700 individuals seeking assistance in overcoming their personal struggles with substance use disorders. Through those interactions, Brockton Police and the Champion Plan have secured over 1,100 placements into treatment.

“The Champion Plan has had some remarkable accomplishments in its first three years, and we’re eager to partner with the Champion Plan and Brockton Police to continue building upon that foundation,” Hunter McDade said. “Their work has made a lasting impact on hundreds of lives, and I have no doubt that through this new partnership we’ll be able to replicate this successful model within other police departments across the commonwealth and the country.”

Brockton Police and P.A.A.R.I’s partnership was made official today at a ceremony celebrating the Champion Plan’s third anniversary. Mayor Bill Carpenter, Chief John Crowley, Hunter McDade and Jonathan Fasano, a former client of the Champion Plan, as well as all of the Champion Plan’s hardworking staff were in attendance to mark the occasion.

“We are looking forward to sharing our Champion Plan experiences with other members as we support PAARI’s mission to expand access to treatment through true community policing”, said Mayor Bill Carpenter.

Brockton is a significant partner in Plymouth County Outreach, which unites all of the county’s police departments, as well as key stakeholders from the treatment and healthcare communities, to assist those struggling with substance use disorders and provide them support and resources.

For the last two years, PCO has been able to draw upon the efforts of Recovery Coaches funded by the groundbreaking P.A.A.R.I AmeriCorps grant. Now, with the awarding of a federal Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program grant, PCO, P.A.A.R.I and the city of Brockton will be able to even further strengthen their outreach and recovery services.

About P.A.A.R.I

The Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help law enforcement agencies nationwide create non-arrest pathways to treatment and recovery. Founded alongside the groundbreaking Gloucester Police Department Angel Initiative in June 2015, P.A.A.R.I has been a driving force behind this rapidly expanding community policing movement. We provide technical assistance, coaching, grants, and other capacity-building resources to more than 440 police departments in 32 states.

We currently work with more than 100 law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts alone. P.A.A.R.I and our law enforcement partners are working towards a collective vision where non-arrest diversion programs become a standard policing practice across the country, thereby reducing overdose deaths, expanding access to treatment, improving public safety, reducing crime, diverting people away from the criminal justice system, and increasing trust between law enforcement and their communities.

Our programs and partners have saved thousands of lives, changed police culture and reshaped the national conversation about the opioid epidemic. Learn more at www.paariusa.org.

 

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East Bridgewater Police Warn of Recent Spike in Drug Overdoses in Plymouth County

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Monday, Feb. 26, 2018

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

East Bridgewater Police Warn of Recent Spike in Drug Overdoses in Plymouth County

More Than 20 Overdoses and Three Deaths in Past Week

EAST BRIDGEWATER — Chief Scott Allen and the police chiefs of the Plymouth County SUDs Outreach Network are seeking to warn residents about a recent increase in drug overdoses throughout the region.

Over the past four days, there have been more than 20 overdoses and three suspected overdose deaths in Plymouth County. Public safety and health officials report that they have also seen an increase in the amount of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone (Narcan) being used to revive a person suffering from an overdose.

“Not only are we seeing more overdoses, but the amount of Narcan needed to reverse an overdose has increased substantially,” Chief Allen said. “This indicates to us that there could be a more potent form of heroin and/or fentanyl around currently. We want everyone to be aware and to know that Narcan is available.”

About three years ago, a person suffering an overdose in Plymouth County would need an average of about two to six milligrams of naloxone to be revived. Now, the dosage needed is typically double or triple that amount.

Over the past two weeks, some individuals throughout Plymouth County have needed between eight to 24 milligrams of naloxone to reverse their overdoses:

  • 16 mg used in East Bridgewater on Feb. 16
  • 8 mg used in Rockland on Feb. 15
  • 24 mg used in Wareham on Feb. 15
  • 12 mg used in Wareham on Feb. 14
  • 8 mg used in Brockton on Feb. 13
  • 12 mg used in Whitman on Feb. 11
  • 14 mg used in Whitman on Feb. 11

In each of those cases, the person was successfully revived.

Narcan is available for opioid users and their family members and loved ones at pharmacies, regional Learn 2 Cope meetings, the Community Outreach, Prevention and Education (COPE) Center in Brockton and local drop-in centers throughout the county. A calendar of dates and locations of drop-in centers can be found HERE. Other Plymouth County Outreach partners also provide access to Narcan, including Scituate’s South Shore Peer Recovery Center and Manet Health in Hull.

Chief Allen would also like to remind residents of the Good Samaritan Law. Individuals that call 911 in the event of an overdose will not be prosecuted, unless they have enough drugs to be considered trafficking or if they have an outstanding warrant.

Plymouth County Outreach is a collaborative of police departments throughout Plymouth County led by the following chiefs: Abington Chief David Majenski, Bridgewater Chief Christopher Delmonte, Bridgewater State University Chief David Tillinghast, Brockton Chief John Crowley, Carver Chief Marc Duphily, Duxbury Chief Matthew Clancy, East Bridgewater Chief Scott Allen, Halifax Chief Ted Broderick, Hanover Chief Walter Sweeney, Hanson Chief Michael Miksch, Hingham Chief Glenn Olsson, Hull Chief John Dunn, Kingston Chief Maurice Splaine, Lakeville Chief Frank Alvihiera, Marion Chief Lincoln Miller, Marshfield Chief Phillip Tavares, Mattapoisett Chief Mary Lyons, Middleboro Chief Joseph Perkins, Norwell Chief Ted Ross, Pembroke Chief Richard Wall, Plymouth Chief Michael Botieri, Plympton Chief Patrick Dillon, Rochester Chief Paul Magee, Rockland Chief John Llewellyn, Scituate Chief Michael Stewart, Wareham Chief Kevin Walsh, West Bridgewater Chief Victor Flaherty and Whitman Chief Scott D. Benton.

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*MEDIA ADVISORY* Whitman Hanson WILL to Host Naloxine Sim Event

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Whitman Police Department
Scott D. Benton, Chief of Police
20 Essex St
Whitman, MA 02382

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017

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

Whitman Hanson WILL to Provide Free Narcan Training

WHITMAN — Chief Scott D. Benton reports that the Whitman Hanson WILL organization, in conjunction with South Shore Hospital and Duval’s Pharmacy, is hosting a Naloxone Sim Lab event to teach those suffering from substance use disorders, their families, and loved ones how to administer potentially lifesaving Narcan in the event of an overdose.

WHEN:

Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE:

Duval’s Pharmacy
571 Washington St., Whitman

WHAT:

Naloxone or Narcan is an opioid antagonist that can reverse the effects of a heroin or other opioid overdose and save a life. The Naloxone Sim Lab create a mock overdose situation to help people understand what an addicted person goes through and also how to use “Narcan” in a crisis situation.

“We encourage all citizens to come by and take advantage of this opportunity to become better educated on the opioid epidemic that has gripped our country,” Chief Benton said.

About Whitman Hanson WILL
Whitman Hanson WILL is part of a regional collaborative, the Brockton Area Opioid Abuse Prevention Collaborative. Whitman Hanson WILL is made up of volunteers across twelve sectors in addition to promoting advocacy and working effortlessly to reduce the stigma associated with substance use disorders. 

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Whitman Police and Fire Warn Residents of the Dangers of Carfentanil

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sunday, June 11, 2017

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

Whitman Police and Fire Warn Residents of the Dangers of Carfentanil

Dangerous Substance Identified in Samples by State Police for the First Time in Massachusetts

WHITMAN — Police Chief Scott D. Benton and Fire Chief Timothy J. Grenno are warning residents about the dangers of carfentanil after three drug samples recently seized in Massachusetts tested positive for the deadly synthetic opioid.

On Wednesday, the Massachusetts State Police released a statement saying that two drug samples seized by Brockton Police, and another sample recovered by Transit Police in the Quincy area, tested positive for carfentanil at the State Police Crime Laboratory.

Carfentanil, which is structurally related to fentanyl, is roughly 100 times more powerful than fentanyl and up to 10,000 times more potent than morphine. The drug is used to tranquilize large animals, like elephants, and is not meant for human consumption.

“This is the first time we’re seeing this lethal substance in Massachusetts, which signifies that this epidemic has taken a turn for the worse,” Chief Benton said. “Our number one priority is public safety and preventing the senseless loss of life due to overdose, and we will continue to strictly enforce drug laws in an effort to keep these deadly substances off our streets.”

According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, illicit fentanyl, fentanyl-related substances and other synthetic opioids can resemble powdered drugs such as heroin or cocaine. These substances can also be in pill or capsule form, often represented as OxyContin, Xanax or other diverted pharmaceutical drugs.

“We are extremely concerned about the introduction of carfentanil in Massachusetts, which dramatically increases the chances that someone will die from a drug overdose” Chief Grenno said. “This is a substance so dangerous, that we’ve seen cases where first responders overdose from simply touching it.”

Due to the high potency of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances, exposure to small quantities — just two to three milligrams — can cause serious negative health effects, respiratory depression, and even death. Fentanyl can be ingested orally, inhaled through the nose or mouth, or absorbed through the skin or eyes. Overdose symptoms, which usually occur within minutes of exposure, can include drowsiness, disorientation, sedation, pinpoint pupils, skin rash, clammy skin, and respiratory depression or arrest.

If an exposure occurs and you suspect that you or someone else may be experiencing an overdose, seek immediate medical attention.

New Hampshire and Maine have recently confirmed overdose deaths that are suspected to have been caused by carfentanil, but there have been no reported carfentanil overdose deaths in Massachusetts, to date. 

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