The Unprecedented Opioid Epidemic

Prepared by the Police Executive Research Forum, this report looks at the opioid epidemic from the perspective of police, sheriffs, and health agencies and how these agencies can step up their response to the crisis. City law enforcement officials detail specific actions that police chiefs and sheriffs across the country can take. The report looks at the role of the police in getting addicted people into treatment; identifies how to teach communities about addiction risks; and looks at a New York City data-driven collaborative model that brings together multiple agencies to look at specific opioid crisis issues and determine resolution for those issues with the ultimate goal of reducing drug overdoses.