Letter of Support from Coalition of Police Supporting Harm Reduction

It is interesting to read through the many letters that have come in from all over showing support for the volunteers currently facing misdemeanor charges in Modesto. One letter in particular that stands out as relevant to the situation here in Stanislaus County comes from harm reduction expert and 17-year police veteran Gregory Denham, an ally from Australia.

Copied below is the letter he submitted to the Stanislaus District Attorney's Office in support of Brian Robinson and Kristy Tribuzio. Read it below - pretty much says it all. And for those who may argue that he is from Australia and it doesn't apply here, our answer is that substance use, public health and safety, and harm reduction principles know no boundaries. While environments and certain nuances may be unique, widespread patterns and implications remain rather consistent whether we are talking about Europe, Mexico or Atlanta, Georgia. Read on:

Gregory Denham
Law Enforcement and Harm Reduction Advisor
Nossal Institute for Global Health
Monash University
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia  

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Greg Denham and I am a former state police officer having served in an operational capacity for 17 years in state police forces in Australia. Over the past ten years or so I have been working both locally and internationally in promoting police/health partnerships with a particular focus on the prevention of the spread of HIV and other blood borne viruses.

As you would be aware, there has been a growing health emergency for nearly 30 years that has required urgent action to halt the spread of AIDS. None more evident is the USA where there are approximately 50,000 new HIV cases each year, thousands of new Hepatitis C cases also, many attributed to sharing contaminated injecting equipment.

Police are now recognised as an integral part of the approach to prevent the transmission of these potentially deadly diseases, the police role cannot be emphasised enough. 

The most effective police approach has been found to give to support to programs that seek to reduce the risk of the spread of HIV - to both the individual and the community (including police). These programs, often termed 'harm reduction', include needle and syringe programs, methadone treatment, and condom distribution. Numerous police agencies throughout the world (including in the USA) have initiated both formal and informal policies and practices that support these harm reduction approaches. They are well documented in the literature and have been successfully evaluated.

In policing terms, it is essential that police become aware of their important role in this issue. Harm reduction cannot, and will not, work without the active participation of police. Further, police must be supported at the government level in the adoption of these supportive policies and practices and advocacy must be conducted with the communities where these programs operate.

Police and government must understand that harm reduction programs do not facilitate drug use, increase the number of people using drugs, entice drug users into a community, nor increase crime. Research in fact shows the opposite; needle and syringe programs are an effective bridge to treatment and improve the amenity of the local area through cleaning up of discarded syringes and other paraphernalia.

To aid the development of more effective approaches by police and explain their role in policing terms, I have initiated the Coalition of Police Supporting Harm Reduction (COPS HR). This network provides training, guidance and advice to police officers throughout the world in their role in this important health issue.

I would be more than happy to elaborate on these points and am available to discuss these issues further at any time.

Best Regards,

Greg Denham
Law Enforcement and Harm Reduction Advisor
Nossal Institute for Global Health
Monash University

October 15th 2009