Fayette County is the latest to join a state program offering assistance to those with substance addiction.
The Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative (LETI) allows people seeking treatment to use their local law enforcement as a resource to get help without the threat of arrest.
State Attorney General Josh Shapiro was in Fayette County today to welcome them to the program.
"We need to begin to treat drug addiction as a disease, not as a crime. And with that mindset, we've approached this job differently. Yes, arresting dealers on the street corners, but also saying yes to eliminating the stigma associated with getting help," said Shapiro.
The program allows those who want to seek treatement to use law enforcement as a resource to contat treatment partners without the threat of being arrested.
“As Pennsylvania recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot forget the ongoing opioid epidemic that takes the lives of eleven Pennsylvanians every day,” Shapiro said. “Connecting individuals to the treatment they need will save lives and make our communities safer, and I commend Fayette County District Attorney Richard Bower for his commitment to tackling this crisis that impacts every community in our Commonwealth.”
Fayette County District Attorney Richard Bower explained “This program is designed for any individual who volunteers to approach Law Enforcement for
help, not to avoid prosecution. The individual has to want help for his or her addiction.”
"My office, the Fayette County District Attorney, all of law enforcement assembled here today are speaking with a singular voice and saying 'turn to use, turn to us for help'," said Shapiro.
The program is also in use in Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Dauphin, Delaware, Northumberland, Schuylkill, and Somerset counties.