The Fayetteville Police Department’s LEAD program, which helps people with low-level drug offenses get treatment instead of jail time, is now serving as a model for the rest of North Carolina. Since 2016, Fayetteville officers have referred residents to behavioral health care, contributing to a 10% drop in local crime and helping 140 people last year alone.
The N.C. General Assembly has allocated $1.5 million to expand LEAD to Harnett, Robeson, Gaston, and New Hanover counties, and the cities of Greensboro, Wilmington, and Albemarle. The North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition will help launch and manage these programs…