LETTER: Peer support could be beneficial
Keeping a community safe is about more than just responding to emergencies. In many rural communities, law enforcement is called when someone is struggling with addiction or mental health. Unfortunately, police officers are not crisis specialists or substance use counselors, and too often, the only options they have are taking someone to jail or the emergency room. Neither of these actually solve the problem.
I recently had a conversation with a local police officer. He said that these calls can be some of the most frustrating because he tends to see the same people over and over, but without the right resources, nothing changes. That is where peer support could help.
Peer support programs connect people who have overcome similar struggles to people who need help now. These programs get people connected to resources that will get them stable and out of the cycle of constant contact with law enforcement. Stronger collaborations with programs that already exist will help reduce repeat arrests, lower costs, and take pressure off law enforcement. Instead of another unnecessary trip to jail or the emergency room, officers can call in trained peers to offer people real solutions.
Other communities have seen success with this approach, and it makes sense. People who have been through it themselves also understand what it takes to get through these situations successfully. By working with existing peer programs, we can give people in crisis a better path forward and make our community safer in the process.
Chris McKenzie
Carmichaels