Officer Michael Balioni (Ret.) responded to thousands of callouts in his policing career, he knows that the police aren’t always the best to respond to an incident. Many law enforcement professionals are championing alternative response models. Read more: bit.ly/AMNYBalioni

‘US violent crime is at its lowest in more than a century – but the funding that helped reduce it is disappearing’ theconversation.com/us-violent-c...

‘Oklahoma Senate Advances Research-Focused Ibogaine Bill’ “The legislation is also designed to facilitate collaboration with other states currently conducting similar clinical research, creating a multistate consortium aimed at securing federal regulatory approval.” filtermag.org/oklahoma-ibo...

Across the U.S. community responder programs are being championed by communities and law enforcement professionals. This latest op-ed from recently retired Officer Balioni details why police aren’t always the best to respond to call-outs. Read in full: bit.ly/AMNYBalioni

Officer Michael Balioni (Ret.) -LEAP Speaker “badge, gun, and handcuffs—was often poorly suited to these situations, and at times could make them worse. That’s why the newly created Department of Community Safety, tasked in part with handling mental health response...” www.amny.com/opinion/nycs...

‘Once illegal, now hopeful: Nevada advocates eye Trump’s shift on psychedelic therapies’ With details of a panel discussion and screening of ‘In Waves and War’ in Nevada on May 14th, panel moderator will be LEAP’s Executive Director. lasvegassun.com/news/2026/ap...

Breaking news: Cannabis has officially just been rescheduled. apnews.com/article/medi...

‘The governor of Pennsylvania is using the unofficial cannabis holiday 4/20 to press lawmakers once again to send him a bill to legalize marijuana.’ With mention of Law Enforcement Action Partnership. www.marijuanamoment.net/pennsylvania...

‘Are we overlooking a key driver of officer trauma?’ LEAP speaker Chief James Small (Ret.) doing some inspiring and vitally important outreach: www.police1.com/wellness-wee...

A new Executive Order has just been signed… “aimed at encouraging expanded research into psychedelic drugs, part of a broader push to explore emerging mental health treatments.” edition.cnn.com/2026/04/18/p...

In the Prohibition Era organized crime groups gripped the underground markets leading to infamous gang violence and increased risks to consumers. Prohibiting a substance means giving up on thoughtful regulation—no quality control or consumer safety measures. #THRFacts

‘America must not learn to live with 72,000 overdose deaths a year’ www.statnews.com/2026/03/09/d...

‘Illinois Overdose Prevention Center Bill Is Moving Forward Again’ “HB 2929 mandates a “Nothing About Us Without Us” approach, describing how the OPC’s principles would be based in harm reduction and input from people who use dr*gs.” filtermag.org/illinois-ove...

When policing, institutional legitimacy and the Epstein files collide. My latest on the failure of the DOJ and their horrific treatment of the victims.

[Paywalled] - NY Times looks at how nitazenes have risen to prominence and how the ‘cookbook’ can be tweaked and changed. We have an endless variety of recipes and new substances on the way. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/31/s...

‘Why We Formed the Latino Cannabis Alliance’ A look at why cultural nuances are important to recognize in fields of advocacy. filtermag.org/latino-canna...

“California prosecutors have filed nearly 20,000 drug possession felony cases under tough-on-crime measure passed in 2024. But despite promises to get people into services, the vast majority of those arrested have not received drug treatment, state data reveals” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

“A new bipartisan bill would mandate the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish “innovative therapies centers of excellence” that would study and provide psychedelic-assisted treatments for veterans.” filtermag.org/bill-va-psyc...

‘Mortality Rate for LA’s Unhoused Residents Drops for the First Time’ filtermag.org/los-angeles-...

‘Georgia Moves Backwards With New Forensic Mental Health Hospital’ filtermag.org/georgia-psyc... By Jimmy Iakovos - a pseudonym for a writer who is incarcerated in Georgia.

We are truly lucky to have such inspiring leadership in Law Enforcement Action Partnership, but we also get to work alongside so many women who shape our organization. Today we send a humble gesture of gratitude and appreciation. #InternationalWomensDay

‘Epstein files fiasco creates 'trust gap' that makes prosecuting crimes even harder’ “In an op-ed… Goldstein examines the Department of Justice's (DOJ) handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files — which, she argues, could damage DOJ's credibility for some time to come.” www.alternet.org/epstein-doj-...

“decades after leaving policing, I often think of the disturbing evidence that shook my faith in humanity… The DOJ’s recent release of documents tied to the late Jeffrey Epstein, has again forced me to confront that painful reality.” - LEAP’s Diane Goldstein’s new op-ed: www.ms.now/opinion/epst...

‘Police leaders can’t ignore abusive immigration enforcement any longer’ By Karl W. Bickel - Department of Justice (Ret.) marylandmatters.org/2026/02/15/p...

“People who use drugs in Baltimore, overwhelmingly support prescribed safe supply programs, according to new research. Published in the International Journal of Drug Policy” filtermag.org/baltimore-dr...

News/Press Release. We renew the calls for independent oversight and scrutiny surrounding the incidents in Minneapolis. Please read in full:

We are hiring! This is your chance to be part of one of the most exciting projects that we are building here at LEAP. The Community Responder Program is looking for a data analyst. Full details here: www.idealist.org/en/nonprofit...

“The CLEAR program in Winthrop is a way to detour people away from a jail cell in certain cases and direct them to more appropriate resources.” LEAP Speaker and serving police officer Sarko Gergerian featured and quoted: www.nbcboston.com/news/local/w...

See the attached for full press release. ‘DOJ Probe of Alex Pretti Shooting Insufficient to Restore Public Confidence, Warns Law Enforcement Group’

“former Detroit Police Chief, and Ted Nelson, a retired Michigan State Police officer with the Law Enforcement Action Partnership, both emphasized in their respective testimonies that the use of masks and force by ICE agents was not normal protocol…” michiganadvance.com/2026/01/29/m...

“New Jersey legislators are considering a proposal to require involuntary commitment for any overdose survivors revived by law enforcement.” filtermag.org/new-jersey-i...

Will you be our next valued team member? We’re looking for a new member of staff who’ll take on the role of ‘Development Marketing & Donor Engagement Associate’ Please see more here: bit.ly/WorkWithLEAP

“The Maryland Department of Health has scrubbed any mention of “harm reduction” from the state’s leading grant program for organizations that provide care to people…” filtermag.org/maryland-scr...

‘Partners Announced for Texas Ibogaine Research Consortium Funding’ www.lucid.news/partners-ann...

“As chief of police, my responsibility is to ensure that Minneapolis residents feel safe enough to seek help when they need it, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, or skin color.“ thehill-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/thehill....

“Law enforcement policy should always be about using the least amount of force and preserving people’s lives…” You’ll be aware of the tragic incident in Minneapolis, LEAP’s ED Lt Diane Goldstein (Ret.) was invited to speak to USA TODAY about the impacts. www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

‘Do supervised consumption sites bring increased crime? Study suggests that’s a myth’ Important article which looks at new data, confirming what many people who are on the ground already know… safe sites = safer communities for all. www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/cha...

An historical look at the ‘War on Drugs’ and how it looks in conjunction with today’s picture. What can we learn from the past? What better ways are there for us all? reason.com/2025/12/26/f...

“As law enforcement professionals, we know public safety depends on trust and cooperation. Allowing immigration enforcement in places like schools, hospitals, and houses of worship destroys that trust, making it harder for us to keep communities safe,” fairandjustprosecution.org/press-releas...

We voice concerns over the recent developments and ‘classification’.

Fentanyl is being declared as a “weapon of mass destruction”. No one denies the sheer impact of this substance on society, many of us have seen the effects firsthand, but we have to be mindful and dutiful in our approach. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

New York Times: ‘Stephen Downing, Police Officer Who Wrote for TV, Dies at 87’ “While serving in the L.A.P.D., he began delivering scripts for series like “Dragnet” and “Adam-12.” After retiring, he was a showrunner for “MacGyver.”” www.nytimes.com/2025/12/10/a...

“New Jersey legislators are considering a proposal to require involuntary commitment for any overdose survivors revived by law enforcement.” filtermag.org/new-jersey-i...

‘Why Member States must rebalance the EU drug strategy – before it’s too late’ via @idpc.net idpc.net/blog/2025/12...

“Taken together, there is no justification under either international human rights law, the correct legal framework, or the law of armed conflict, the wrong one, to target the boats or the people on board.” www.justsecurity.org/126553/opera...

We had such a wonderful conversation with Jaret from Bowling for Soup about his role on the board member of the fantastic organization Punk Rock Saves Lives. Listen to this episode of Stop and Search in full: pod.fo/e/35624b

‘The New Federal Hemp Ban Is An Opportunity To Legalize Cannabis Across The Board’ (Op-Ed) www.marijuanamoment.net/the-new-fede...

‘US attacks in Caribbean and Pacific violate international human rights law – UN Human Rights Chief’ www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...

My latest co-authored pice with Major Neill Franklin of @policeforreform.bsky.social ‘The administration’s war on drugs is turning out to be worse than the first one’ “The administration attacking boats in the Caribbean is a costly distraction…” msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

‘Pittsburgh Public Safety redesigns program that sends social workers to emergency scenes’ “Public safety is more than showing up to a scene with a badge and gun” - Former Police Chief Tom Thompson, LEAP Speaker. www.wesa.fm/politics-gov...