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Lansing Area Police Join Program Fighting Drug Addiction

Hope Not Handcuffs event photo
Courtesy photo
Hope Not Handcuffs was announced at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in East Lansing on Thursday.

A Michigan nonprofit that helps people struggling with narcotics abuse is expanding to 14 law enforcement agencies in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton Counties.

The program is called Hope Not Handcuffs. With Thursday’s announcement, the non-profit called Families Against Narcotics now coordinates with 100 police departments in 13 counties.

Linda Davis is the Executive Director of Families Against Narcotics. She says anyone wanting help treating addiction can walk into a participating police department and be connected with volunteers she calls “angels.” Davis says "a lot of them are families that have experienced addiction in their own homes and want it to be better for the next person.”

Davis says that help usually arrives within 25 minutes.

Police agencies added to the system include those in Lansing and East Lansing, and the Ingham and Eaton County Sheriff’s Departments. Others include Michigan State University, Meridian Township, Lansing Township, Williamston, Charlotte, Grand Ledge, Leslie, Mason, Stockbridge, and Bath Township police departments.

Scott Pohl is a general assignment news reporter and produces news features and interviews. He is also an alternate local host on NPR's "Morning Edition."
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