Eagle River Police Department and Community Addiction Recovery and Empowerment are teaming up with a new program to battle addiction problems.
Eagle River Police Chief Mark Vander Bloomen says the goal is to provide a compassionate, no excuses, long term recovery program for those seeking addiction treatment....
"....people who are having issues with addiction, whether they walk into our door and ask for help or if during the course of the investigation we figure out the underlying problem is addiction, the program is designed to get them help rather than be prosecuted or arrested....."
Chief Vander Bloomen says the person seeking help simply needs to come to the station for help...
"....someone doesn't have to be in trouble but that is one of the ways to identify people but someone can just walk in our door and ask for help as well. They can turn over any illegal drugs or paraphernalis that they have without fear of arrest. We're working to get them into treatment with our partner group, Community CARE to provide for treatment after that...."
Vander Bloomen says studies have shown that sobriety through incarceration finds 90 percent of the people relapse and a new approach to the problem needs to be found. He says the Department will have a mitigation policy, focusing on people with addiction issues and getting them into treatment before they start the cycle of arrest and readdiction.
Vander Bloomen is hosting a kick off event Tuesday, January 10 from noon to 1 p.m. at Eagle River City Hall to provide more information to the public about the program.
