An assessment of officer attitudes toward the training and use of a pre-booking diversionary program.

The opioid epidemic in the United States has led police departments and other professionals to examine the current approach to drug enforcement. Different law enforcement diversionary programs, centered on public health approaches, have emerged. One such program, the "pre-booking" diversionary program, has been the subject of limited research. The current research assessed officer attitudes toward the training and execution of one such diversionary program in two urban police departments. Results from more than 100 surveys provide officers' perceptions of the training they received and their involvement in the program. We provide their detailed feedback and suggestions for law enforcement, outreach workers, and treatment program personnel in hopes that such diversionary programs will become widespread and effectively utilized in more communities.