Groton — The Gloucester, Mass., police department this month announced an innovative program to combat the heroin and opiate epidemic, telling addicts to bring in their drugs and they will be guided to treatment rather than arrested.

Groton Town Councilor Joe de la Cruz and others are making a pitch for a duplicate program in Groton.

Cruz, whose son is battling addiction, spearheaded a forum on Tuesday which brought together the Town Council with representatives from local police departments and social service agencies, among others.

“Adopt this policy, and there will be a seismic change in the way we deal with these issues,” de la Cruz said. “I’d like to treat drug addiction the same way we treat any other medical condition.”

In Gloucester, the police department has vowed that, starting June 1, any addict who walks into the police station with drugs or drug paraphernalia and asks for help will not be charged.

“Instead we will walk them through the system toward detox and recovery. We will assign them an ‘angel’ who will be their guide through the process. Not in hours or days, but on the spot,” according to an announcement on the department’s Facebook page.

Jim Spellman of Groton, a former high coach and administrator, said he has attended numerous funerals of former students, kids with potential who never received the appropriate help for their addiction.

Spellman helped to form the organization Shine A Light on Heroin. He said the group was created because of the “conspiracy of silence” about heroin addiction despite the fact so many lives were being impacted.

The number of heroin-related overdose deaths in Connecticut jumped by more than 86 percent between 2012 and 2014 — from 174 to 325.

Spellman suggested an effort by local agencies to pool resources and be able to respond when the Groton Town Police Department has an addict looking for help.

Acting Groton Town Police Chief Steve Smith said what is happening in Gloucester has been happening informally at departments across the country.

“When there are people coming to us who are clearly addicted, we are going to try and help them,” said Smith, who is of no relation to the reporter.

He said the department also is looking into the training for and use of Narcan, an opioid reversal drug credited with saving lives of people overdosing on heroin.

He said it would not only take money, but an act of the legislature to make something like what Gloucester is doing work in Connecticut.

“There’s a lack of resources to deal with these situations,” Smith said.

Others added that it can sometimes take months for a bed to free up at a rehabilitation center in Connecticut and insurance does not always cover the costs.

De la Cruz said that, while there are hurdles, he was encouraged by interest of fellow councilors and the community. He said forums like Tuesday’s help to bring much-needed attention to the subject.

g.smith@theday.com

Twitter: @SmittyDay