In a continued attempt to combat opioid overdose and addiction through community outreach, The New Castle County Police Department has been awarded a grant from the University of Baltimore to hire a Hero Help Coordinator.

The Hero Help Program is a collaboration between the Division of Police, the Delaware Department of Justice and the State Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health to provide drug and/or alcohol addiction treatment to qualifying adults who contact the police and ask for treatment, or to individuals in lieu of an immediate arrest for lesser crimes.

Since the inception of the program, there have been over 60 participants enrolled. Although successful, New Castle County Police feels they can do more to expand their outreach to those suffering from addiction with the hiring of the Hero Help Program Coordinator. The hiring of the coordinator will allow the program to more efficiently manage a greater number of participants.

“Police officers, through the very nature of the profession, regularly interact with persons suffering from addiction.  We recognize that the traditional policing approach of making arrests can’t be the only option,” said New Castle County Police Major Robert McLucas.  “The Hero Help Program provides our officers with an additional tool in the battle against this heroin/Opioid epidemic.  The hiring of the Hero Help Coordinator will allow our police department to dedicate a fulltime resource to the program with the goal of reaching more people suffering from addiction.”

The grant will help secure funding for a one year salary for the coordinator, 300 Narcan Kits for distribution to non-fatal patients and their family members, and marketing and outreach about the availability of the program.

“The disease of opiate addiction is the public health crisis of the 21^st Century,” said County Executive Matt Meyer.  “Through Hero Help, we commit to utilizing the talents of our County’s finest to help those struggling with addiction find lasting treatment.  Thanks to this new grant funding, this life-saving program will expand, providing real-time access to treatment and services to put them on the road to long-term recovery.”

Applicants interested in applying for the position can visit www.nccde.org or by selecting the attached link; http://www.nccde.org/bids.aspx?bidID=339

For more information on the Hero Help Program, Individuals can come to the Corporal Paul J. Sweeney Public Safety Building at 3601 N. DuPont Highway New Castle, Del. 19720 to request further information and inquire if they are eligible. Citizens can also call (302)395-8050.
To be eligible for the program, you must be a Delaware resident 18-years-old or older, have no violent criminal convictions, and voluntarily enroll in the program.

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New Castle County Police have arrested 29 year-old Stephen Ross for assaulting a police officer while investigating multiple thefts from motor vehicles in the community of McDaniel Heights.

(Wilmington, Del. 19803) Yesterday (December 19) New Castle County Police were conducting an investigation into multiple thefts from motor vehicles throughout the community of McDaniel Heights.

An officer assisting with the investigation observed Stephen Ross in the 2400 block of Concord Pike and stopped him for questioning. Stephen Ross provided the officer with a false name. Additional officers arrived on scene and they attempted to take him into custody. Stephen Ross began to resist and an officer deployed their departmentally issued Taser, which had minimal effect.  An officer sustained an injury to her hand and was transported to an area hospital where she was treated and released.

Police are still investigating the multiple thefts from motor vehicles.

Stephen Ross was charged with felony assault second on a police officer, felony forgery, resisting arrest, criminal impersonation, possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor criminal mischief. He was arraigned and committed to the Howard Young Correctional Institution after failing to pay $15,750 secured bail.

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What: In an effort to add a new resource to combat addiction, New Castle County Police will announce the hiring of a coordinator for the Hero Help Program offered through NCCPD. The funding of the coordinator was secured through a grant from the University of Baltimore.

Scheduled to Attend:

New Castle County Executive, Matt Meyer

New Castle County Police Chief, Colonel Vaughn Bond, Jr.

Where: Cpl. Paul J. Sweeney Public Safety Building, J. William Bell Fusion Center (2^nd floor), 3601 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, De 19720

When: Wednesday, December 20, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.