Click on the image to access this episode! The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office is setting people up to succeed by focusing on the root causes of WHY crimes are committed.

With programs like CORE (Community Outreach Recovery Enforcement), which seek to get help for offenders, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office is taking a proactive approach to stopping crimes before they happen. By seeing the criminal as a person in need, the WCSO is able to help prevent repeat offensives and get treatment for those suffering from mental illness or addiction.

“Nobody grows up wanting to be homeless, addicted, in and out of jail.” Renee Blaze, Certified Peer Support Specialist, uses her own personal and professional experiences to bring empathy and understanding to encounters between the Washtenaw Sheriff Office and persons suffering from mental illness or addiction.

“We have broken those old traditions.” Washtenaw County Deputy Danny Buffa explains how the system of arresting and incarcerating offenders with mental illness had to be overhauled, and the critical role of communication between law enforcement, social workers, the judicial system, and the mental health community.

“It’s working. It’s working very well. It’s saving lives.” Former Police Services Commander Marlene Radzik explains the value of implementing new approaches, like CORE, in order to help all those involved.