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Boardman Police Department gives recovering addict a second chance
BOARDMAN
A township man who resigned from the Warren Law Department a year ago after a drug relapse has been in recovery for more than a year and secured a new temporary job at the Boardman Police Department.
Jason Burns, who left his position as a paralegal assistant to Warren Law Director Greg Hicks last March after he came to work under the influence and in possession of drugs, now is helping Boardman police update policies.
Police Chief Jack Nichols said he sees this as an opportunity to help someone who is trying to get their life back on track, and he has no concerns about Burns’ work performance.
“He’s trying to put his life back together,” said Nichols. “I’ve always said, we’re not going to arrest our way out of this problem [the drug crisis]. ... I try to find ways that I can help addicted people when I can, and this is just an opportunity that came up. It seems to be a win-win.”
Nichols said he decided to hire Burns after he met Burns’ mother, read a book she wrote about another son who died of a drug overdose, and learned from her that Burns was in recovery and wanted to get back to his profession.
Boardman Township Administrator Jason Loree said he does not have reservations about Burns’ working, nor do trustees.
“They are fine with helping out someone who wants to rehabilitate,” he said, adding that Nichols directly oversees Burns’ work and is with Burns whenever he is at work.
Another plus, Loree said, is that the department will not have to pay overtime to officers who might otherwise have done the work, and an external hire means that the work won’t take officers away from their beats.
Burns is working under contract with the department to update policies so they are compliant with state and federal laws. He is set to be there for about six more weeks, Nichols said.