THIS MONTH, A group of senior Colombian police officers visited Dublin to explore how Ireland responds to drugs. While the two countries face different drug-related challenges, the visit offered a unique opportunity to share strategies, including around law enforcement’s role in addressing drug use among people with multiple and complex needs.
One of the key areas of focus during the visit was Ireland’s Law Engagement and Assisted Recovery (LEAR) programme. Since its establishment in 2014, LEAR has proven to be a practical example of how law enforcement and health services can collaborate to support individuals struggling with addiction, homelessness and mental health issues.
Delivered by Ana Liffey Drug Project in partnership with An Garda Síochána, the programme has helped bridge the gap between the police and the people most affected by street life, offering a framework that could potentially inform Colombia’s own approach to drug use amongst people with complex and multiple needs.
For Colombia, this exchange comes at a critical time. While the country is known globally as a producer of cocaine, it is also dealing with a growing internal problem of drug consumption, especially among vulnerable populations. In low-income communities, the use of basuco, Coca paste cut with adulterants, has become particularly widespread, while the rise in synthetic drug use among youth has added another layer of complexity to the public health crisis. Despite the increasing scope of the problem, Colombia’s response has remained largely punitive, focusing on criminalising people who use drugs instead of addressing addiction as a public health issue.
This is where Ireland’s LEAR programme offers important lessons. Currently operational in Dublin City and Limerick City. LEAR represents a collaborative, person-centred approach that brings together law enforcement, health services and social care providers. The programme focuses on individuals living on the streets who face a range of challenges, including drug use, homelessness and mental health issues.
Instead of viewing these individuals through a criminal lens, LEAR connects them with support services that can help them stabilise their lives and move toward recovery.
One of the key strengths of LEAR is its recognition that policing alone cannot solve the issues associated with drug use and street life. By working in partnership with social and health services, the police in Ireland play a proactive role in referring individuals into the programme. These referrals are often the first step toward engaging people who have been marginalised for years, helping them access services that address their complex needs. Through intensive case management, LEAR ensures that participants receive coordinated care – like addiction treatment, housing support, mental health supports and much more besides.
For the Colombian delegation, learning about LEAR was a chance to see how a more health-focused approach to drug use can work in practice. Colombia’s National Police are not strangers to the idea of a more humane response to people who use drugs — guidelines within the Police Manual already encourage officers to differentiate between people who use drugs and criminals, directing the former to health services where possible. However, these policies are not always fully implemented on the ground and there is a lack of a cohesive national strategy to ensure that people who use drugs receive the support they need.
The visit to Dublin provided a concrete example of how law enforcement can move beyond its traditional role of enforcement and become a partner in recovery. LEAR shows that the police, when trained and supported, can play an important role in helping people navigate the complex landscape of health and social services. This is particularly relevant for Colombia, where police reform is an ongoing process. As the country works to improve the relationship between law enforcement and communities, adopting a model like LEAR could be an important step toward a more balanced approach to drug use—one that focuses not only on enforcement but also on care.
The timing of this exchange is significant. The Colombian police officers who participated in the visit to Ireland are set to be promoted to the rank of brigadier general by the end of the year. In their new roles, these officers will have considerable influence over how policing is carried out in key regions, including departmental and regional capitals. This presents an opportunity to incorporate the lessons learned from Ireland into future policies and practices.
Of course, it’s important to acknowledge that the challenges Colombia faces are unique. The country’s drug-related issues are deeply tied to its history of conflict, violence and the global drug trade. The scale of the problem is enormous, and there is no simple solution. LEAR, while successful in Ireland, cannot be directly transplanted into Colombia without adaptation. However, what the programme offers is a framework for thinking about how law enforcement and health services can work together in a way that benefits the most vulnerable members of society.
For Colombia, the next steps could involve building on the existing guidelines within the National Police Manual to ensure that officers are better trained to engage with people who use drugs in a supportive, rather than punitive, manner. This would require investing in training programmes that emphasise harm reduction and collaboration with health services. At the same time, there needs to be a greater focus on community engagement, particularly in conflict-affected areas where trust between the police and the public has been eroded over the years.
Another potential avenue for Colombia is to explore co-case management models like LEAR, where law enforcement and social services work together to provide sustained support for individuals with complex needs. By establishing stronger partnerships between different agencies, Colombia could create a more integrated response to drug use—one that addresses not only the symptoms of addiction, but also the underlying social and economic factors that contribute to it.
Ultimately, the visit to Dublin was an important step in the ongoing dialogue between Colombia and Ireland on how to respond to drug use in a way that balances law enforcement with public health. While the two countries’ contexts are different, there are common challenges that can be addressed through collaboration and the sharing of best practices. The LEAR programme offers a valuable example of how such an approach can work, and it provides a starting point for Colombia to consider how its own police force can play a more positive role in addressing the complex needs of people affected by drug use.
While LEAR is not a one-size-fits-all solution, its emphasis on collaboration, harm reduction and person-centred care offers important lessons for Colombia as it continues to rethink its approach to drug policy. By focusing on care alongside enforcement, Colombia could take meaningful steps toward improving the lives of those most affected by drug use. The potential for change is there—the challenge is ensuring it happens.
Tony Duffin is the CEO of Ana Liffey Drug Project. Ana María Restrepo is the Director of the Social Development Group (SDG).
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