If you have the soul of a volunteer, you actually have the opportunity to put your desire to help to excellent use through the Michigan State Police Angel Program where you get to play the role of the angel. If you do, Michigan State Police Lt. Dale Hinz will be very grateful.
To assist people struggling with addiction and reduce drug demand, Hinz and the Michigan State Police department have joined almost 200 police departments nationwide in the Angel Program, which is a pre-arrest diversion program. The Angel Program allows someone with a drug addiction to walk into a state police post to seek help for their addiction, without the fear of arrest or investigation.
As of this month, the MSP is expanding that program to our region by adding in the Paw Paw Post and is recruiting volunteers who wish to provide support to participants, including transportation to treatment services and programming.
Interested volunteers must complete an application available from the post, and all volunteers must have reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license and live within one hour of the post, among other requirements. Volunteers receive training prior to any assignments, and will be reimbursed for mileage and meals.
If you are interested in learning more about the program or becoming an Angel Volunteer, please contact the MSP Paw Paw Post at: (269) 657-5551.
The Angel Program is supported by P.A.A.R.I. (the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative). It originally began in Gloucester, Massachusetts in 2015. The MSP plans to continue expansion of the program across the state throughout 2017.
