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Easley police outline opioid-recovery program using state settlement funds to hire two officers, seek civilian specialist and add prevention work in schools
Summary
The Easley Police Department described a prevention-focused program funded by a $332,300 opioid-recovery award and noted $1.4 million in prior settlement funds; the plan would fund two police officers (internal reassignments), two vehicles and seek an additional $130,000 to hire a civilian specialist for community outreach and treatment referrals.
At the work session, the city presented the first reading of an ordinance to accept $332,300 from the South Carolina opioid recovery fund to hire two police officers and purchase two vehicles for prevention work. The police chief described the initiative as prevention-focused, emphasizing outreach in schools and partnerships with behavioral-health providers.
"This is money that we're taking from pharmaceutical companies," the chief said, explaining the funds trace to opioid settlement awards and noting the city already has about $1.4 million from earlier settlements earmarked for opioid and drug-prevention work. The chief said the program will focus much of its time on students from third through 12th grade and described practical measures such as drug take-back/collection units coordinated with pharmacies and the DEA.
The ordinance would also authorize a later $130,000 request to hire a civilian specialist intended to provide a non-law-enforcement point of contact for people seeking help. The chief explained the two officers named in the grant are internal reassignments of existing personnel who are experienced as school-resource officers; filling those posts created vacancies the department must then fill.
Councilmembers asked whether the civilian specialist could be hired immediately and whether the new officer slots were wholly new positions; the chief said the civilian role requires separate application under the grant rules and the two officer roles are reassignments that will create two vacancies to be posted.
The transcript records encouragement for the program and no formal vote in the work session; staff said future agenda items would include any required personnel authorizations or budget amendments.
