Leonard Campanello, Chief of Police
197 Main St.
Gloucester , MA 01930
For Immediate Release
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Number 16 Joins The Gloucester Initiative
GLOUCESTER — Police Chief Leonard Campanello and Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken are pleased to report Number 16, located in Wakefield, has partnered with the Gloucester Police Department’s ANGEL Initiative.
As of Thursday, 35 people have been placed into treatment programs by the ANGEL Initiative.
The Gloucester Initiative places those who are struggling with addiction into treatment centers rather than jail cells. The program allows people who suffer from addiction to turn over their remaining drug supply and paraphernalia to the Gloucester Police Department without the threat of arrest. The policy went into effect earlier this month in an effort to address a growing opioid epidemic and to reduce the number of overdoses in Massachusetts. Click here to view the official police policy document.
“The outpouring of support we have received from treatment centers in response to our program is overwhelming,” Chief Campanello said. “I am proud to welcome another major partner located right here in Massachusetts.”
“This partnership with Number 16 allows us to help even more people who are struggling with addiction,” Mayor Romeo Theken said. “The support we have received from treatment centers is proof that we are making a difference in people’s lives.”
Chief Campanello and businessman John Rosenthal have launched The Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) — a new nonprofit organization created in response to Gloucester’s revolutionary drug addiction program and the immediate positive feedback from local, state and national organizations.
“We are beyond excited to partner with Gloucester on this ground breaking initiative to help end the deadly cycle of addiction,” said Director of Community Outreach Stephen Gambale. “Together, we can be instrumental in achieving our common goal: saving lives.”
About Number 16:
Number 16 has been featured nationally on NBC’s Nightly News as well as the Today Show, recognizing them as a unique and effective place to recover.
Number 16 operates a 14 bed, all male, 30- day retreat in Wenham where guests are given intensive peer to peer education and instruction on the 12 steps. They also maintain sober living facilities in Wakefield which consist of two residences that have combined space for up to 33 male guests.
Number 16 can be found on the web at www.number16.org or by calling 781-245-6110.
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