This document describes the research methodology and findings from a study of officer decision-making in their responses to encounters with individuals with opioid use disorder; the article describes the analysis of survey data from the project; and suggests ways that police officers can make discretionary decisions that improve their encounters with and health outcomes of people with OUD.
Police frequently encounter people with opioid use disorder (OUD), having a profound effect on their risk environment and health outcomes. Officers retain significant discretionary authority in their response to these encounters. To explore the factors that underlie these decisions, the authors surveyed a sample of Illinois police officers. They administered an online survey to Illinois police departments using a random sampling strategy, stratified by agency size and the rurality of their service areas. Their final sample was 248 police officers from 27 departments. The authors surveyed officers’ beliefs about (1) influences and control over their decision making; (2) the approval of other actors in making referrals to treatment for addiction, and (3) the potential impacts of medication-assisted treatment (MAT). They analyzed the survey data using descriptive statistics and regression analyses. Most officers were highly influenced by the expectations of their supervisors when responding to subjects who appeared to have an OUD, and about half would take direction from addiction treatment providers. Police in urban departments perceived greater support for MAT and were more likely to believe MAT could reduce the need for future arrests. The authors’ findings suggest ways police officers can be influenced to make discretionary decisions that improve the health outcomes of their encounters with people with OUD: (1) Supervisors should serve as champions to promote referrals to treatment for substance use disorders; (2) collaboration between law enforcement and community addiction treatment providers should be strengthened, and (3) MAT should be supported and expanded in rural areas. (Published Abstract Provided)