Framingham police officials visit Ireland, present Jail Diversion Program
FRAMINGHAM — For nearly 19 years, the Framingham Police Department has been working with clinicians to get help for people instead of arresting them.
Police Chief Lester Baker, Deputy Chief Sean Riley and one of the creators of the program, Dr. Sarah Abbott, recently traveled to Limerick, Ireland, to present the department's Jail Diversion Program to Irish police and officials.
"That's something we don't get to do every day," said Riley. "It shines a great light on the Framingham police and the city of Framingham in general, being recognized on an international level like that."
In November, An Garda Siochana (Republic of Ireland National Police) Superintendent Andrew Lacey came to Massachusetts and met with the Framingham Police Department about the program and participated in a ride-along to see how it works.
Looking at the program in Framingham was a “perfect match,” Lacey told the Daily News in November.
“The Limerick division in the south of Ireland was identified as the pilot area, and I was selected as the implementation team leader for that,” he explained at the time. “Framingham was very useful in the early stage and going forward, because it’s similar in size, population, resources in terms of the police numbers, and all."
Last week, the Irish Research Council and the Police Authority brought Baker and Riley to Limerick to present the department's model. Also making presentations as part of a roundtable were the Toronto Police and Police Scotland, Riley said.
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The goal was for the An Garda Siochana to look at the possibility of starting a similar program, in which clinicians work with police. A police reform review in Ireland recommended doing a feasibility study on crisis intervention teams, Lacey said during his visit to Framingham in November.
Riley said the Framingham program has been successful for many years. It works by having clinicians working shifts alongside police and helping officers find alternatives for arrests.
"We basically presented how it works here and how we got the men and women to buy into it over the past 19 years," Riley said. "It's been very successful. Our ultimate goal is to have a clinician working seven days a week, 24 hours a day."
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Although it was mostly work, Riley said he, Baker and other attendees got a chance to do a little sight-seeing and meet many Irish officials.
"My family roots go back there, so to go there and experience another country and to collaborate with an international partner was a great experience," said Riley. "They really rolled out the red carpet for us."
Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow Norman Miller on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Framingham police present jail diversion program to Irish authorities
