APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Appleton Police are taking a new approach in their effort to reduce the number of deaths caused by opiate drug overdoses.
On Wednesday, the department unveiled L.E.A.A.P, which stands for Law Enforcement Addiction Assistance Program.
The program allows Appleton residents or students to voluntarily turn over their drugs and paraphernalia at the police department, free of legal consequence.
Upon doing so, the person is given a brief assessment to determine if they are eligible for L.E.A.A.P.
If so, the person is sent to a local hospital to receive medication to begin the withdrawal process.
After that, the addict is referred to an area treatment specialist to begin a recovery program that officials say can last anywhere between four weeks and six months, depending on the specific case.
According to Mooring House Executive Director Jamie Loehnis, that recovery has multiple elements including: educating the person about the disease aspect of addiction, teaching them how to refuse drugs, and discussing any life event that may have led to the drug use.
While the person is discharged upon successful completion of the program, they are released without legal consequence if unsuccessful.
Appleton Police Chief Todd Thomas feels this new approach is necessary since previous efforts such as educating the community and expanding the availability of NARCAN, a drug which counteracts the effects of an opiate overdose, have not done much to reduce the number of drug-related deaths in the area.
Thomas says Outagamie County averages 13 overdose deaths per year and notes his officers administered NARCAN 42 times in 2016 alone.
Nationally, Thomas says the number of heroin-related deaths has risen by 300% since 1999.
The chief says this program is similar to ones already seen in the Wisconsin communities of Greenfield and Madison and notes that there are 160-170 comparable efforts nationwide.
According to Loehnis, his treatment facility has seen positive results in his 11 years with the agency. He says four out of ten people make a clean recovery their first time through the facility.
However, Loehnis notes there has been a significant rise in opiate-related cases during the last two years, with that cause now accounting for 40% of all intakes.
Thomas says the matter resonates personally with him since his wife’s cousin died of a heroin overdose 12 years ago.
Anyone interested in signing up for the program or learning more about it should visit the Appleton Police Department at 222 South Walnut Street.
