Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler, joined by five local police chiefs and representatives of other agencies, recently announced the launch of the Orange County Pre-Arrest Diversion Program. The Pre-Arrest Diversion Program is designed to refer to drug treatment, if appropriate, those accused of some drug crimes, rather than filing charges against them in court.
After investigating a case, if an officer believes that a subject would benefit from drug treatment, and the individual is interested in treatment, the officer, instead of charging the subject with a crime, can refer the subject for assistance from Hope Not Handcuffs (HNH). HNH employs volunteers to assist those in need of drug treatment to find appropriate services. If, for whatever reason, HNH cannot assist the person, the officer can refer the person to Orange County’s Crisis Help Line at 311, and the Help Line might be able to assist the person.
If the individual is successful in treatment, no charges will be filed. If the individual is unsuccessful, the District Attorney’s Office and other stakeholders will discuss whether to file charges at that point. For more information about the Orange County Pre-Arrest Diversion Program, please contact Executive Assistant District Attorney Leah Canton at (845) 291-2050, or by email to ocdadiversion@orangecountygov.com.
Annette Kahrs, Chief Paul Rickard, District Attorney David Hoovler, & Commissioner Darcie Miller announce the launch of the Orange County Pre-Arrest Diversion Program.
