A comprehensive initiative by government and nongovernment, multi-agency and community partnership
to divert non-violent, low level drug dealers away from
jail and toward a productive life while making resident’s
feel safer and saving money.
Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion
Seattle
 Challenges - before
 Significant business and resident complaints of
drug related street disorder
 Significant concerns of disproportianate impact
on people of color – ‘now’ and later.
 Many of those arrested were only ‘subsistence’
sellers.
 Very expensive for everyone involved.
 Many sellers would be released and re-arrested.
Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion
Seattle
Working toward a solution
•Very committed police captain asked a very committed attorney who
litigated against the Seattle Police/Prosecutors “What would you
do for the community?”.
•Numerous ‘stakeholders’ including ACLU, public defenders, police,
prosecutors, elected officials and community met for over a 18
months to define the issues and agree on moving forward.
•Concurrent work toward obtaining outside funding to support the
effort.
•Defined thresholds for allowing/disallowing candidate participation.
•Convened street officers and supervisors to ‘table top’ and trouble
shoot the planned operation.
Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion
Seattle
 Eligibility for L.E.A.D.:
 Less than 3 grams of drugs being sold/in possession or a
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prostitute.
The individual is amenable to diversion
The person is a ‘subsistence’ dealer, not ‘for-profit’
Person does not exploit others/minors for sales
The person does not promote others for prostitution
Generally, the person has not committed murder, arson,
robbery, rape, assault /gun violation, and no conviction in
the last 10 year of related but lesser crimes.
Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion
Seattle
 Basics of pre- booking diversion:
 Days and times for eligibility are pre-determined by service
providers & police commanders – officers are ‘blind’ until first
arrest.
 Once arrest is made and person is eligible, officer meets service
provider at precinct.
 Paperwork is completed & forwarded to prosecutor, who will
withhold charging unless the person shows non-compliance
later.
 Imperative that no booking occurs, officers have ‘buy-in’ and
there is immediate access to needed services for qualified sellers.
Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion
Seattle
Core operating principles:
 Immediate access to needed services v simple ‘referral’
 Non-displacement of other treatment candidates.
 Over-all philosophy is harm reduction; we know there
may be relapse and falls.
 No time limit for participation as long as the person
shows continued desire to improve, but certain
services may be withdrawn.
 Constant communication and case management
between agency/service provider partners.
Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion
Seattle
Funding partners – grants provided for 4 years:
 Ford Foundation
 Open Society Foundation
 RiverStyx Foundation
 Vital Projects Fund
 Massena Foundation
 Social Justice Fund Northwest