Governor Hassan Announces Two Grants to Support Local Law Enforcement Efforts on Opioid Crisis

Statement

Continuing her efforts to strengthen the state's comprehensive approach to combat the heroin and opioid crisis, Governor Maggie Hassan joined Manchester Police Chief Nick Willard, Department of Safety Commissioner John Barthelmes, Attorney General Joe Foster, Drug Enforcement Agency Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jon DeLena and Manchester officials to announce two state grants to support local law enforcement in high-risk communities like Manchester in combating the heroin and opioid crisis.

"The heroin and substance abuse crisis is the most pressing public health and safety challenge facing our state, and we must all work together, every single day, on a comprehensive approach to combat this crisis," Governor Hassan said. "While we focus on strengthening prevention, treatment and recovery, we must also do everything that we can to support law enforcement and other first responders on the front lines, and these grants will help us do just that."

A $90,000 grant will allow the New Hampshire State Police to provide more than 1,200 additional hours of manpower to assist in efforts like the Manchester Police Department's "Operation Granite Hammer," the department's initiative to rid the city of street-level dealers and seize illicit drugs.

"These grants are a small -- but significant step -- as we work to strengthen our comprehensive approach to combating the heroin and opioid crisis," Governor Hassan said. "While these grants to strengthen our law enforcement response are important, we all agree that we cannot arrest our way out of this problem. We must continue to build on a comprehensive approach and strengthen our prevention, treatment and recovery efforts."

Source