The London Police Service (LPS) is rolling out a brand new technique to handle open-air drug use in public areas, with a concentrate on “compassionate, revolutionary and resourceful” techniques to curb the continued disaster.
“Medication and drug-related crime stay the highest policing concern recognized by our group,” mentioned Chief Thai Truong throughout a press convention earlier Tuesday.
Latest issues from the group have sparked the choice to implement pressing motion from LPS to handle open-air drug use within the metropolis.
Beginning this week, extra officers will patrol on foot, with some groups paired with psychological well being specialists from CMHA and practising nurses.
The brand new method will contain utilizing extra compassionate strategies to take care of drug use in a long-term means, reasonably than implement and arrest.
Police say the brand new method includes getting authorities to interact with individuals utilizing medicine, connecting them to sources, and avoiding criminalizing dependancy.
“If any person is utilizing medicine in open air locally, our officers are anticipated to interact and implement,” mentioned Truong.
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“However we’re going to attempt to take a unique course — go to that particular person, ask them to cease utilizing, after which direct them to sources, to not arrest as the primary plan of action.”
In mild of the uptick in overdoses the previous few years, LPS is hopeful this methodology will assist enhance the general sense of security and safety locally.
“One of many complaints is that there’s open drug use occurring and our officers are simply strolling by,” Chief Truong mentioned. “They need to have interaction, they need to assist … however the second there’s an overdose or somebody goes into withdrawal, these officers are below scrutiny.
“That’s the reason they obtained extra coaching, are carrying body-worn cameras, and we are going to assist them.”
This system is predicted to price between $4-to-6 million a 12 months.
Mayor Josh Morgan praised the initiative, saying, “That is a tremendous step ahead.”
“We’re taking a brand new method. It was not straightforward to tug this collectively. I do know the state of the town is regarding however (this) is our prime precedence,” Morgan mentioned.
He additionally highlighted a brand new paramedic technique to unencumber ambulances by sending superior care paramedics in alternate automobiles so there should not two ambulance automobiles being deployed every name.
Whereas the initiative plans to roll out as early as tomorrow, the town is requesting nameless suggestions from the general public to proceed tackling open-air drug use.
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