This podcast episode is part of the Opioid Affected Youth Initiative's nine-segment podcast series.
The Opioid Affected Youth Initiative's nine-segment podcast series, Answering the Call, seeks to examine the roles and perspectives of first responders, marginalized communities, and justice systems, as well as the role of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the opioid crisis. In this episode, "Balancing Act", Sergeant Lex Jorge highlights the perspective of law enforcement officers and details the emotional and physical impacts of trying to save people struggling with addiction day in and day out. Because law enforcement officers are uniquely positioned to encounter individuals within the community who use drugs, they serve as important conduits through which appropriate interventions can reach those individuals. Mr. Jorge focuses on how police balance their various roles in their efforts to combat the opioid crisis and discusses the importance of customizing responses to communities impacted by opioid and other substance use disorders while recognizing the special needs of vulnerable communities.