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Scarborough's 'Operation Hope' Celebrates Addiction Treatment Milestone

SCARBOROUGH, Maine - Scarborough Police Department's "Operation Hope" has placed 100 people in treatment for opiate addiction since it launched in October.

Under the program, anyone with an opiate addiction can walk into the police station and ask for help without fear of being charged with a crime.

Officer John Gill oversees Operation Hope. He says three-quarters of those who come to the station seeking treatment are from York and Cumberland counties, "but the other people are literally coming from all over the state. We've had an individual from as far north as Fort Fairfield in Aroostook County come down."

Because Maine lacks treatment capacity, Gill says a significant number of individuals receive treatment from facilities in eight different states that offer free scholarship beds.