Dear John,

Odds are you have lost someone, or know someone who has lost a loved one, to overdose. But the number of deaths from overdose doesn't have to be so high. The opioid crisis is a public health crisis requiring solutions that reduce the risks of drug use.

The Law Enforcement Action Partnership's speakers know we can do better: our communities deserve to feel safe! That's why we fight for criminal justice and drug policy reforms that are more effective, compassionate, and rooted in common sense. 2019 was an outstanding year for LEAP, and as we look ahead to 2020, we can see big changes ahead. With your support, we will keep moving reforms forward that have a positive impact on real people and communities.

Throughout the month of December, we're proud to share 12 Ways of Criminal Justice Reform -- real examples of our speakers making a difference in the world.

Your partnership made these changes happen. Donate now to stand with LEAP as we fight for justice reform in 2020 and beyond.

In solidarity,

Major Neill Franklin (Ret.)

Executive Director

The Third Way of Reform: LEAP Fights for Life-Saving Treatments.

LEAP Speaker Wendell M. France Sr., Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Corrections (Fmr.) and Major with the Baltimore Police Department (Ret.), provided oral and written testimony to the Maryland Senate in support of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in correctional facilities, calling it “a necessary component to alleviating the opioid crisis.”

LEAP Speaker Eric E. Sterling, Assistant Counsel (Fmr.) to the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, provided oral and written testimony to the Maryland House of Delegates on the same bill, citing research on the link between incarceration and opioid overdose deaths. Sterling referred to the bill as the beginning of “the most effective treatment for opioid use disorder.”

Maryland passed the legislation. Facilities are now required to assess inmates’ substance use status, treat those with Opioid Use Disorder with MAT, and provide follow-up treatment and care coordination after release. Thank you, Mr. Sterling and Deputy Secretary France for speaking out in defense of life-saving treatments.

The Fourth Way of Reform: LEAP Advocates for Harm Reduction Programs.

LEAP Speakers Major Neill Franklin (Ret.) and Chief Brendan Cox (Ret.) advocated in defense of Philadelphia’s Safehouse program, a nonprofit planning to open the nation’s first overdose prevention center (OPC). The Justice Department filed suit, attempting to shut down the program. Major Franklin and Chief Cox wrote op-eds, published in the Philadelphia Inquirer, explaining the role OPCs, also known as supervised injection facilities, play in saving lives and public resources.

LEAP's efforts paid off: a federal judge ruled that overdose prevention centers are lawful, clearing a significant legal block for addiction intervention, not only in Philadelphia, but in cities across the US considering opening such facilities.

Law Enforcement Action Partnership
121 Mystic Avenue Suite 9 | Medford, Massachusetts 02155
781-393-6985 | [email protected]

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