Early results of a recent expansion of a program allowing heroin users to get help without being arrested are encouraging, public officials say. The idea is to eliminate any fear that some individuals have of the police so more addicts come forward.
About a half dozen heroin users went to the police station to get help since the program, with its guarantee of not being arrested or interrogated, started in June, Klimczak said. On March 1, all three of the city's fire stations were added as safe places to go to seek help and on Monday, the first individual showed up at the fire station on the city's southwest side.