Press Release 4/23/2019 – LEAD Program Assessment at Alamosa PD
On April 17 2019, four University of Colorado at Denver employees hired by the State of Colorado spent time with Alamosa PD to conduct a site visit of the LEAD program. The employees, Lauren Gant, Sabrina Otterbeign, Lori Hughes, and Dr. Lonnie Schaible, each rode along on one 4-hour shift with officers on duty and followed up with hour-long interviews to evaluate the program.
The City of Alamosa, Denver County, City of Longmont, and Pueblo County receive up to $575,000 per year—funded through the Long Bill from the Marijuana Tax Cash Fund—to operate LEAD as a pilot program for a three-year term that began in 2017. These programs are evaluated for effectiveness in order to request additional funding.
The Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Program is a pre-booking diversion program that aims to improve public health and to end the cycle of recidivism. Instead of being charged and booked following an arrest, the arresting officer identifies the arrestee as a potential participant for the diversion program and subsequently connects them with a case manager. This case manager then provides a holistic approach to connecting the individual with resources such as housing and substance use treatment services or enrolling the participant in vocational training courses. The main principle of LEAD is collaborative partnerships between local law enforcement, district attorney’s offices, sheriffs, treatment providers, and other community stakeholders.
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The City of Alamosa is a multi-cultural community of 9,000+ centrally located in the San Luis Valley of Southern Colorado. The City was incorporated in 1878 and is the gateway to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve where more than 300,000 visitors enjoy Colorado’s natural beauty each year. For more information visit us at www.cityofalamosa.org.
