National Symposium on Police-led Drug Diversion

This full-day national event is hosted jointly by the University of Sheffield (Centre for Criminological Research), the National Police Chiefs Council, and the College of Policing. 

It will advance participants' knowledge of Police-led Drug Diversion, and of the results of the Cabinet Office-funded evaluation of PDD across 13 police forces.

We invite participants from policing, diversion and drug treatment providers, public health, civil service, policy makers, lived experience organisations, and all with an interesting in more effective ways of dealing with drug-related offending.

Keynote speakers:
- Dame Professor Carol Black (UK independent adviser on drugs)
- Dr Alison Heydari (T/Deputy Assistant Commissioner, NPCC lead on out-of-court resolutions)
- Dr Paul Quinton (Evidence and Evaluation Advisor, College of Policing)

Main session:
Professor Alex Stevens and the PDD Evaluation research team will present their findings, showing and explaining the effects of PDD in reducing reoffending, saving money in the criminal justice system, and its effects on entry to drug treatment.

Parallel sessions on diversion from Professors Sid Bandyopadhyay and Simon Pemberton (University of Birmingham), Jason Kew (The Centre for Justice Innovation), and Penelope Gibbs (Transform Justice), with additional sessions on how to implement and optimise PDD for best effects.

This event is co-sponsored by the Economic and Social Research Council (Impact Accelerator Fund) and the National Police Chiefs Council.