Lancaster County officers honored for drug diversion work

Twelve police officers and two departments across Lancaster County were honored at the inaugural Second Chance Program Awards for diverting people with substance use disorders into treatment rather than pursuing criminal charges. Launched in 2019 by Blueprints for Addiction Recovery, SecondChancePA and its 2022 post-arrest companion Pathways to Recovery allow participants to avoid filing of charges or have charges dismissed upon successful completion; nearly 6,000 people have recovered through the programs. Several individual officers—along with the Lancaster City and Manheim Township police—were recognized for high referral numbers and sustained leadership promoting recovery-focused alternatives.