For Immediate Release

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

*Media Advisory* Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan to Speak at US Senate Tomorrow

WASHINGTON — The Arlington Police Department is pleased to announce that Chief Frederick Ryan will testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs at a hearing titled “America’s Insatiable Demand for Drugs: Examining Potential Solutions” tomorrow morning.

WHEN:

Wednesday, June 15

WHERE:

United States Senate

WHO:

• Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan

WHAT:

Chief Ryan will go before the Senate committee to testify on behalf of the Arlington Police Department and the Police Assisted Addiction Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) and the organization’s mission to change the way law enforcement interacts with substance abusers in their communities. Based on his thirty years of experience as a police officer, Chief Ryan will explain how the opiate epidemic has swept across America, and how, in order to enact change, there must be a shift in policy: both to address the demand for opioid drugs, and to increase the availability of treatment resources.

About P.A.A.R.I.

P.A.A.R.I. was started to support local police departments as they work with opioid addicts. Rather than arrest our way out of the problem of drug addiction, P.A.A.R.I. committed police departments:

• Encourage opioid drug users to seek recovery
• Help distribute life saving opioid blocking drugs to prevent and treat overdoses
• Connect people suffering with opioid addiction with treatment programs and facilities
• Provide resources to other police departments and communities that want to do more to fight the opioid addiction epidemic

P.A.A.R.I. was created by Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello and John Rosenthal to bridge the gap between the police department and opioid addicts seeking recovery. Since its founding, more than 100 police departments in 24 states have joined as partners with the initiative.

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