
BPD Hires a Community Resource Specialist
The Brattleboro Police Department is pleased to announce the hiring of Justin Johnston as a Community Resource Specialist. Justin will join the newly established BRAT (Brattleboro Resource Assistance Team) focused on improving the quality of life for people living and working downtown and other areas of Town.
Justin is a person in long-term recovery from substance use disorder and has been heavily involved with Project C.A.R.E. as a Recovery Coach since the inception of the program in 2018. Project C.A.R.E. is a partnership between the BPD and several area organizations aimed at reducing the impact of opioid use on the community, and connecting people to treatment and recovery.
Justin most recently worked as the Director of Center and Programming at Turning Point of Windham County. He comes to the BPD with considerable training in de-escalation, motivational interviewing, peer support, and trauma-informed care.
Justin will work in tandem with officers and other BPD personnel to support recovery in the community. He will coordinate the Project C.A.R.E. outreach team and work closely with C.A.R.E. partners (Probation & Parole, Turning Point, Consolidated Treatment Centers/Methadone Clinic, HCRS, Groundworks, and the Brattleboro Fire Department). He will conduct proactive outreach aimed at the areas most susceptible to crime (drug use, panhandling, etc.) and will conduct overdose follow-up. He will work to identify top offenders in town and find ways to reduce the impact on the community. He will assist with transportation to inpatient and outpatient facilities; respond to some welfare checks related to substance use; meet with people in custody for drug related offenses and provide resources; and will be involved in public education and outreach with local schools.
The BPD is a member of PAARI (Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative), a national organization that provides training, guidance, support, and resources to help law enforcement agencies create non-arrest pathways to treatment and recovery. We are confident that Justin’s addition to our team will greatly improve access for community members to treatment and better prepare them for success, enhancing the safety and prosperity of our neighborhoods.