Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello said the city of Gloucester reported four overdoses over 24 hours. “The good news is all were brought back to us by the increased availability and proliferation of Narcan,” said Campanello in the statement.”

But Campanello continued, passionately speaking to those suffering from heroin addiction. “You are important and worth it,” he said. “There is no incentive or punishment that this disease responds to… There is recovery and a new life that can and should be yours.”

The chief mentioned how between Wednesday and Friday, the city of Brockton reported 35 overdoses.

Campanello reinforced the fact that his police department is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help the community. In March of 2015, Campanello said Gloucester had seen four deaths related to heroin and dozens of opiate related overdoses. Since then, the department shifted from arresting addicts to helping them.

"My officers think more about that one death than about the 375 people that have been through the doors," said Campanello in an interview.

On May 2, 2015, the department unveiled the ANGEL program. Any addict who walked into the Gloucester Police Department with the remainder of their drug equipment or drugs who asked for help would not be charged. Instead, police would walk them through the system toward detox and recovery and assign them an “angel” who will be their guide.

As a result, the ANGEL program has been adopted by nearly 40 departments in nine states according to Campanello in November 2015.

"We've helped a lot of people yes, but there are still a lot of other people out there suffering and dying," said Campanello.

http://www.wcvb.com/news/dont-be-ashamed-of-your-illness-says-gloucester-police-chief-to-addicts/37500546