A different approach

Sgt. James “Jim” Kelly of the Brick Township Police Department shares what his role entails as a community policing supervisor, working with community members who struggle with substance use disorder.

Sgt. Kelly has dedicated the past 15 years to serving the Brick Township Police Department. Three years ago, he took on a role as the community policing supervisor. Sgt. Kelly’s roles include identifying at-risk members of the community, collecting unused or expired medication, and interviewing those who suffer from substance use disorders and their families.

His passion to help people is fueled by personal experience, as he watched two of his loved ones struggle with substance use disorder. In turn, this deepened his empathy toward community members dealing with substance use disorder while on the job.

Sgt. Kelly talks about the importance of using a “harm reduction” approach in his work. This focuses on positive change and working with people without judgment. Committed to teaching other officers this approach, Sgt. Kelly helped put together a program at the Ocean County Police Academy. The course teaches students the best ways to approach substance use disorder within the community.