A local police department is working with ROSC to put on a community event. 

Lincoln Police Chief Joe Meister explains that they are teaming up with Logan and Mason Counties ROSC, or Recovery Oriented System of Care, to host an event called Breaking Barriers that aims to promote recovery from addiction and remove the stigma that can come with addiction. The event will be on August 9th and will feature guest speakers, food, and possibly live music. 

The Chief indicates that both the general public and some police officers have harmful stigmas about people who struggle with addiction or mental health issues. He hopes that breaking the stigma of addiction will go both ways and break the stigma faced by police officers. 

The partnership between ROSC and the Lincoln Police Department is strong. Chief Meister says they are working with a number of local organizations on an initiative called Task Deflection. 

The Breaking Barriers community event takes place on August 9th from 12 PM to 3 PM on 5th Street in Lincoln. Learn more about the department's community outreach efforts by visiting lincolnil.gov/police-department.