by Melissa Colebank
It only seemed appropriate that as attendees of the NCHRC Law Enforcement Safety and Drug Policy summit on Tuesday, June 12th entered the top floor of the NC state legislature house, they were greeted with a room full of America’s patriots, a unit of NC Military Police being honored for their service later that day. It was those men and women that continued to fight for our nation’s freedom abroad the set the perfect tone for the advocacy of our community safety. The NCHRC is a committed group of individuals who believe in safety and education. Greeted with a smile, Robert Childs, executive director, welcomed me to the NC state legislature on Tuesday morning, just as he welcomed state Representatives and former members of law enforcement, gathering to discuss law enforcement safety and drug policy. Surrounded by those who believe in drug policy reform and those who still remain skeptical, they have all gathered at the state legislature to help facilitate a change. Over the course of the day, former law enforcement officers, state Representatives, and members of the NC community shared their stories and called the prescription of that change. The topics discussed included; syringe decriminalization and a better education of drug prevention techniques for citizens. Lt. Det. Pat Glynn of the Quincy PD, Mass. traveled down to show the positive results of his department’s use of Narcan and how they’ve saved over 90 lives since the program began. The officers were acting as first responders, saving people in their community and giving them a second chance. Different stories and messages were shared throughout the afternoon, but one rang true for each, that there is a need for increased acceptance of alternative safety methods and that every life is worth saving.
There is nothing more important than safety in our communities, and the training done by NCHRC for law enforcement is a free and effective way to achieve that. The room was full of officers, each one listening with intensity and curiosity as the Harm Reduction Coordinator, Tessie Castillo, explained what NCHRC was about and what she was brought in to teach that morning. As part of the Durham Crisis Intervention Team training, this program is offered for free as interested officers prepare to be certified for specialized mental health training. These officers are learning the basics of injecting drug use and how to look past the stigma our society has created to the human that the potential suspect is. Most of the officers during the Thursday June 14th morning training session saw their previous convictions shattered as syringe exchange statistics were presented and how much safer their jobs could be with a syringe decriminalization law in place. Before ending the session, former NYPD Seg. Ronald Martain delivered a message to the officers, not of diligence or political action, but of self-safety. He addressed the officers as one of their own, someone who had been in a rough neighborhood and seen the incidents that they feared the most. Above all, his message was one that inspires, “the most important part of your job is to come home safely at the end of your shift.”
Spending time with the members of NCHRC and others dedicated to providing a safer future with safe access and increased education made me more aware of all members of my community. The officers of our cities and towns deserve to do their job without the constant threat of a needlestick and tools, such as needle proof gloves and the access to resources like NCHRC to provide the answers to questions they did not know they have. Our officers, families, and communities could be a safer place with policies like syringe decriminalization and more organizations like NCHRC and members of law enforcement like the Durham CIT officers and members of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, looking to make the world a better place through education, understanding, and passion.