Identifying barriers and advantages in implementing a drug deflection policy that impacts the role of law enforcement

Abstract

This study seeks to gain a deeper understanding of how implementing a drug deflection program through law enforcement creates new challenges as we look to officers to assist community members in accessing treatment. This is an action research study with a generic qualitative inquiry that seeks knowledge about real-life work changes due to new legislative policies. The legislative policy created in 2019 called the Community-Law Enforcement Partnership for Deflection and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Act (CLEPD) encouraged the creation of drug deflection programs within law enforcement agencies in Illinois. The participants identified were law enforcement officers in a suburban county of Illinois implementing a drug deflection program. Included with this population were administrators at the law enforcement agency and treatment professionals. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, transcribed, and analyzed to identify emergent themes. This study identified two barriers: the need for additional officers to provide transportation and lack of local community resources. The greatest advantages of implementation were positive interactions with the community, administrative support, and an alternative to incarceration.