PresentationPresentation

18th ICRDRH 18th ICRDRH 13th13th--17th May 2007 17th May 2007 Warsaw Warsaw -- PolandPoland

Managed by:Managed by: In association with:In association with: Funded by:Funded by:

Greg Denham Greg Denham Asia Regional HIV/AIDS ProjectAsia Regional HIV/AIDS Project

Trainer and Police AdviserTrainer and Police Adviser

‘‘Engaging law enforcement in harm Engaging law enforcement in harm reduction reduction -- advocacy resourcesadvocacy resources’’

Managed by:Managed by: In association with:In association with: Funded by:Funded by:

About ARHPAbout ARHP

Australian Agency for International Australian Agency for International Development (Development (AusAIDAusAID) funded project.) funded project.

Operates in Vietnam, Myanmar and China Operates in Vietnam, Myanmar and China (Yunnan Province and Guangxi(Yunnan Province and Guangxi--ZhuangZhuangAutonomous Region). Autonomous Region).

About ARHPAbout ARHP

Project activities target regional action to Project activities target regional action to strengthen the capacity of countries to take a strengthen the capacity of countries to take a more strategic and evidencemore strategic and evidence--based approach based approach to policy making, planning and to policy making, planning and programming in HIV and injecting drug programming in HIV and injecting drug use. use.

ARHP ARHP -- GoalsGoals

To progress the adoption of harm reduction approaches to To progress the adoption of harm reduction approaches to HIV transmission in the South East Asia Region.HIV transmission in the South East Asia Region.

To strengthen the capacity of governments and To strengthen the capacity of governments and communities to reduce the HIV related harm associated communities to reduce the HIV related harm associated with injecting drug use.with injecting drug use.

To establish a supportive environment for harm reduction To establish a supportive environment for harm reduction and impact on policy and practice, through advocacy and a and impact on policy and practice, through advocacy and a growing pool of HR specialists in the region.growing pool of HR specialists in the region.

Injecting of heroin develops rapidly along trafficking Injecting of heroin develops rapidly along trafficking routes creating HIV threat.routes creating HIV threat.

About ARHPAbout ARHP

A core component of ARHP is 15 Effective Approaches A core component of ARHP is 15 Effective Approaches Project (EAP) sites Project (EAP) sites –– harm reduction services harm reduction services -- NSP NSP delivered through drop in centres and outreach staff.delivered through drop in centres and outreach staff.

EAP sites also provide other primary care health services EAP sites also provide other primary care health services and referrals to other health programs for users.and referrals to other health programs for users.

EAP sites are often located in areas where clients can best EAP sites are often located in areas where clients can best access these services, which means there can be high levels access these services, which means there can be high levels of police activity.of police activity.

Police ViewsPolice Views

Policing agencies predominantly focus on Policing agencies predominantly focus on enforcement of drug laws and dealing with the enforcement of drug laws and dealing with the consequences of illicit drug use.consequences of illicit drug use.

In many cases police can develop very negative In many cases police can develop very negative attitudes towards illicit drug use:attitudes towards illicit drug use:

Consequently, many police may not be initially Consequently, many police may not be initially supportive of programs because they may supportive of programs because they may believe.believe.…………

..

Police ViewsPolice Views

..

•harm reduction will conflict with law enforcement goals

•program sites will attract users and also dealers

•increased discarding of paraphernalia - needles in the streets: anger by community groups

•programs will compromise prevention of drug use and treatment……

Police ViewsPolice Views

harm reduction approaches might harm reduction approaches might ‘‘increase increase drug usedrug use’’

MMT is not appropriate drug treatment: MMT is not appropriate drug treatment: ‘‘stop stop all drug useall drug use’’

effective approaches are effective approaches are ‘‘too liberaltoo liberal’’

services for drug users result in the services for drug users result in the ‘‘innocentinnocent’’not able to get medical treatment.not able to get medical treatment.

..

Police Support CriticalPolice Support Critical

When police are not supportive or are unaware When police are not supportive or are unaware of harm reduction services their activities can of harm reduction services their activities can severely disrupt the functions of these severely disrupt the functions of these programs.programs.

Unsupportive and disruptive policing activities Unsupportive and disruptive policing activities can includecan include……....

..

Police ActionsPolice Actionsconcentrating police activities by targeting concentrating police activities by targeting the sites of services to search and detain the sites of services to search and detain users, including attending at drop in centresusers, including attending at drop in centres

searching and detaining outreach workers searching and detaining outreach workers and peer educators when working with usersand peer educators when working with users

searching users and seizing clean injecting searching users and seizing clean injecting equipmentequipment

being generally unsupportive being generally unsupportive –– at public at public forums forums -- in steering committees in steering committees –– meetings meetings etcetc

Police ActionsPolice Actions

Police activity targeting sites will lead toPolice activity targeting sites will lead to……..

decline in the number of clients using servicesdecline in the number of clients using services

risky injecting practices and other associated harmsrisky injecting practices and other associated harms

increased numbers of clients in other sitesincreased numbers of clients in other sites

clients reluctant to engage generally.clients reluctant to engage generally.

..

Issues:Issues:

Police actions can be one of the strongest Police actions can be one of the strongest determinants of whether a person uses harm determinants of whether a person uses harm reduction services or not.reduction services or not.

Policing actions can be counter productive to harm Policing actions can be counter productive to harm reduction programs and increase the HIV risks to reduction programs and increase the HIV risks to individuals and the general community. individuals and the general community.

Police support for harm reduction approaches is Police support for harm reduction approaches is critical in facilitating critical in facilitating ‘‘enabling environmentsenabling environments’’. .

..

Issues:Issues:

‘‘Police can be the best friend Police can be the best friend -- or the worst or the worst enemy enemy -- of harm reductionof harm reduction’’

‘‘Harm reduction cannot Harm reduction cannot -- and will not and will not --work without the active participation and work without the active participation and support from policesupport from police’’

..

To develop and maintain a To develop and maintain a supportive and supportive and enabling enabling environmentenvironment for harm reduction for harm reduction approaches.approaches.

Goal of Law Enforcement and Harm Reduction:Goal of Law Enforcement and Harm Reduction:

Advocacy ToolsAdvocacy Tools

In order to gain support from law enforcement In order to gain support from law enforcement agencies to develop enabling environments, agencies to develop enabling environments, particularly at the site level, ARHP developed particularly at the site level, ARHP developed a range of practical a range of practical ‘‘toolstools’’ that enable police to that enable police to ‘‘operationaliseoperationalise’’ the concept of harm reduction.the concept of harm reduction.

Advocacy ToolsAdvocacy Tools

Training curriculum: Law Enforcement and Harm Training curriculum: Law Enforcement and Harm ReductionReduction

Booklet: Booklet: ‘‘Guidelines for addressing police Guidelines for addressing police concerns about harm reductionconcerns about harm reduction’’

Booklet: Booklet: ‘‘Understanding harm reductionUnderstanding harm reduction’’

DVD DVD –– ‘‘Effective approaches for law enforcementEffective approaches for law enforcement’’and trainerand trainer’’s guides guide

Advocacy ToolsAdvocacy ToolsHandout: Handout: ‘‘Police policies and practices that support harm Police policies and practices that support harm reductionreduction’’

Handout: Handout: ‘‘Police and health Police and health –– local level agreementlocal level agreement’’

Resource: TOT graduatesResource: TOT graduates

Handout: Handout: ‘‘Guidelines and program Guidelines and program –– senior police senior police seminarsseminars’’

Sample training/workshop session: Sample training/workshop session: ‘‘Law enforcement and Law enforcement and harm reduction organisations: improving relationshipsharm reduction organisations: improving relationships’’

Advocacy ToolsAdvocacy Tools

Handout: Handout: ‘‘Preventing police occupational Preventing police occupational exposureexposure’’

Handout: Handout: ‘‘NSPS and MMT NSPS and MMT –– is there really a is there really a choice between the twochoice between the two’’??

Handouts: Handouts: ‘‘ORW ORW -- Peer education Peer education –– Primary care Primary care health health –– NSPSNSPS’’

Website guide: Website guide: www.arhp.org.vnwww.arhp.org.vn

Law Enforcement and Harm Reduction Law Enforcement and Harm Reduction Advocacy and Action ManualAdvocacy and Action Manual

Contains all of the tools mentioned in this Contains all of the tools mentioned in this presentation as well as additional components that presentation as well as additional components that assist in advocacy efforts with law enforcement assist in advocacy efforts with law enforcement agencies.agencies.

Developed as a practical resource that provides Developed as a practical resource that provides direction for those working in the harm reduction direction for those working in the harm reduction field and advocating for understanding and support field and advocating for understanding and support for their services from law enforcement agencies.for their services from law enforcement agencies.

Component 1:

Advocacy Level

Component 2:

Toolbox

Component 3:

Library

Part 1.

Case Studies

2. BOOKLET: POLICE CONCERNS ABOUT HR

3. BOOKLET: UNDERSTANDING HR

4. TRAINERS GUIDE FOR DVD - LE and HR

5. HANDOUT: POLICE POLICIES & PRACTICES

6. HANDOUT: LOCAL LEVEL AGREEMENT

7. RESOURCE: TOT GRADUATES

8. HANDOUT: SENIOR POLICE SEMINARS

1.

Operational Level Police

2.

Middle Management Level Police

3.

Central -Senior Level Police

10. WEBSITE GUIDE –www.arhp.org.vn

Advocacy and Action Manual

Advocacy and Action Rationale

11. HANDOUT: POLICE OCCUPATION. EXPOSURE

9. SAMPLE WORKSHOP -LE & HEALTH RELATIONS

Part 2.

Further Reading and References

Part 3.

Contact List Of Key Agencies

1. CURRICULUM: LAW ENFORCEMENT & HR

12. HANDOUT NSP AND MMT: – IS IT A CHOICE?

13. HANDOUTS: PE - ORW – PCH & NSPs

Law Enforcement and Harm Reduction Law Enforcement and Harm Reduction Advocacy and Action ManualAdvocacy and Action Manual

The manual is available in English, Vietnamese, The manual is available in English, Vietnamese, Chinese and Burmese languages and can be Chinese and Burmese languages and can be download from:download from:

www.arhp.org.vnwww.arhp.org.vn

‘‘

Engaging law enforcement in harm Engaging law enforcement in harm reduction reduction -- advocacy resourcesadvocacy resources’’

Thank YouThank You