Nearly 1,000 drug users get treatment over jail time in Tucson

Tucson Police's drug deflection program started in July 2018 to address substance abuse and addiction in the community.

ADDICTION -- THE TUCSON POLICEDEPARTMENT HAS A PROGRAM THEYSAY-- GETS TO THE HEART OF DRUGABUSE.IT'S CALLED THE DEFLECTIONPROGRAM.

THE GOAL IS TO KEEPPEOPLE OUT OF JAIL - AND GETTHEM INTO TREATMENT.NINE ON YOUR SIDE'S NATALIETARANGIOLI JOINS US NOW -- WITHHOWIT WORKS.PAT, VALERIE --SINCE THE PROGRAM STARTED ABOUTA YEAR AND A HALF AGO --NEARLY 1-THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO HADA SMALL AMOUNT OF DRUGS-- OR PARAPHERNALIA ON THEM --WERE GIVEN THE OPTION TO GOTO A TREAMENT CENTER -- INSTEADOF A JAIL CELL.TUCSON POLICE HAVE BEEN TAKING ANON-TRADITIONAL APPROACH TOTACKLING THE OPIOID CRISIS INSOUTHERN ARIZONA.KEVIN HALL, TPD ASSIST.

CHIEF:THIS IS A DISEASE AND WE'RETREATING IT LIKE A DISEASE.

IT'SA PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE, NOT ACRIMINAL JUSTICEISSUE.SINCE JULY 2018 --OFFICERS HAVE BEEN TAKING PEOPLEWHO COMMIT MINORDRUG OFFENSES -- TO TREATMENTCENTERS -- INSTEAD OF JAIL.IT'S THE SAME WAY WE WOULD TREATSOMEBODY WITH DIABETES ORHYPERTENSION.

THEY NEEDMEDICATION, THEY NEED TREATMENT,AND THEY NEED TO SUSTAIN THATTREATMENTASSISTANT CHIEF KEVIN HALL SAYSTHE SUCCESS OF THE DEPARTMENT'SDEFLECTION PROGRAM IS IN THENUMBERS.OUR GOAL WAS ONE PER DAY, SOWE'RE LOOKING AT 365 AT THE ENDOF THEFIRST YEAR.

SO WE HAVE FAREXCEEDED THATHALL SAYS THE PROGRAM BREAKS THECYCLE MANY PEOPLE MISUSINGDRUGS -- EXPERIENCE.WHICH IS TYPICALLY A LITTLE LIKETHIS -- THEY'RE ARRESTED FORCOMMITTING A DRUG-RELATED CRIME.THEY GO TO JAIL -- AND ARERELEASED.AND NOT LONG AFTER THAT -- THEYOFFEND AGAIN.FATAL OVERDOSES CONTRIBUTE TOMORE DEATHS THAN AUTO COLLISIONSAND HOMICIDES COMBINED IN PIMACOUNTY.

THAT HAS BEEN FOR THEPASTSEVERAL YEARS AND CONTINUES TOTHIS DAY TPD IS ONE OF A SMALLPERCENTAGE OF AGENCIES -- ACROSSTHE COUNTY -- THAT HAVE ASIMILAR PROGRAM.

ONE THATFOCUSES ON TREATMENT AS APRIORITY -- OVER INCARCERATION.THIS IS A CHANGE IN HOW WE DOBUSINESS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.

ANDIT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU THATTRADITIONAL METHODS ORTRADITIONAL MODELS ARE ALWAYSSUBJECT TO CHANGE.

AND WEALL NEED TO BE OPEN TO DOINGDIFFERENT WAYS OF BUSINESS.TPD AND RESEARCHERS AT THEUNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA AREWORKING TOGETHER TO TRACK HOWPEOPLE PROGRESS THROUGH THEIRTREATMENT -- AND IF THEYRE-OFFEND.THEY ARE ALSO SEEING HOW COSTEFFECTIVE THE PROGRAM IS.PA