MID-HUDSON – When Mount Hope Town Police Chief Paul Rickard hangs up his shield and retires at the end of this month, he will be taking on a new role as director of Hope Not Handcuffs Hudson Valley.
The deflection program is aimed at bringing law enforcement and community organizations together in an effort to find viable treatment options for individuals to reduce dependency with drugs and alcohol.
Rickard is looking forward to his new job.
“I will be taking over the coordination of the Peer Recovery Program, the helpline, liaisoning with the police departments, the district attorney’s office,” he said. “The organization recently just got a big federal grant where they are going to be partnering with Sullivan County on an arrest diversion program through the district attorney’s office, so I will be working on that as well.”
The current director and founder of Hope Not Handcuffs Hudson Valley, Annette Kahrs, will assume the post of CEO of Tri County Partnership, the parent organization.
Prior to serving the Mount Hope Police Department for 12 years, Rickard served with the City of Middletown Police Department retiring as bureau commander of operations.
