In January 2017, the Longmont Department of Public Safety (LDPS) recognized the urgent need to find support for those suffering with a substance abuse disorder. We partnered with the successful Glouchester Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI) for insight and direction. We called our program the Angel Initiative.

Longmont’s program is unique as our goal is to connect residents with substance abuse services at no cost to them. However, we believe the participants must take the first step and come to the Safety and Justice Center for help.

We want to announce that after three years, 200 community members have sought treatment through the Angel Initiative which has provided a second chance.

We still need your help. As a community, we may think it’s not our problem, but one does not need to look too far to see, it is our problem. Addiction impacts just about every family in our community. It’s not just a public safety issue; it’s an issue that belongs to all of us.

While our Angel Initiative program is coordinated through public safety, we are always in need of people in our community to participate. If you are an employer, we would ask you to consider offering employment to those who are in recovery. If you are a resident of our community, we need Angel volunteers who can assist those in recovery with finding employment, housing, or by becoming a friend and supporter. We know that those in recovery can heal more effectively if they are connected to healthy people who can provide encouragement, support, care and help people to choose accountability.

Longmont Public Safety has been issuing Narcan to all our staff since early 2017. Narcan is a drug used to reverse an overdose from heroin or opioids. Since January 2017, Public Safety Police and Fire have saved over 90 lives with the use of Narcan.

In 2020, our team will be offering a community program for the public. We will be teaching techniques to save the life of a loved one, friend, co-worker, neighbor, anyone, who is experiencing an overdose caused by prescription narcotics or heroin. We will also be able to supply families and participants with this life-saving drug free of charge. If you are interested in being notified of a training, please email robin.ericson@longmontcolorado.gov.

The department would like to thank the committed volunteers and public safety staff for embracing this idea. In the last three years, we have learned to navigate a system that sometimes makes it hard to find treatment. Our team was not deterred; they treated participants with respect and compassion and provided them an opportunity to seek healing. Thanks to these dedicated staff and volunteers, we have won grants to support the program which continues to serve our community well.

To those participants who have taken this step – we wish you continued success and know we are still here for you. To those that are able to give of your time and talent, please call (303)651-8541.