Buckhannon police believe fighting addiction takes more than making arrests — and this Wednesday they’re sponsoring a free screening of a film about addiction, recovery and a community working to heal together.
In the Name of Me and You screens Wednesday, February 25 at 6 p.m. at the Buckhannon Colonial Arts Center, 48 E. Main Street. The event is free and open to everyone — whether you’ve been touched by addiction personally, know someone who has or simply want to better understand what your neighbors are going through.
Lieutenant Doug Loudin, who helped organize the event, said he attended the film’s premiere in Huntington and came away wanting to bring it home.
“The message of hope resonated with me,” Loudin told city council last week. “All too often, people ask us what we’re going to do about the drug problem. You can’t arrest yourself out of the problem. You can arrest the individuals for their drug addiction, for possession — but what happens after?”
The film follows a young man whose life spirals after a serious accident leads to prescription opioid misuse, offering a portrayal of recovery, family strain and the role of community support, according to a press release.
Loudin said the department’s goal is to reach people beyond the criminal justice system.
“The chief and I and several people in the department oftentimes talk about, ‘What can we do to help the situation — not just arrest them, but help the situation?” he said. “We wanted to sponsor this movie in hopes that counseling centers, outreach centers, addiction recovery centers will come and watch it. Maybe it might influence those who are addicted to get help.”
Police Chief Matt Gregory said the screening fits a broader shift in how law enforcement is approaching crisis response.
“Movies like this help put a human face on what officers and first responders see every day,” Gregory said. “CIT is about recognizing that addiction and mental health crises are health issues, not just law enforcement issues, and responding in a way that prioritizes safety, dignity and connection to help.”
The screening is part of a week-long Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, training being held in Buckhannon this week. CIT programs bring together law enforcement, mental health professionals, emergency services and community partners to improve responses to people experiencing mental health or substance use crises. The training equips first responders with de-escalation techniques and strategies to connect individuals in crisis with appropriate care.
CIT Coordinator Kimbra Wachob said demand for the training filled slots quickly.
“Our goal is to have every first responder in this community trained in CIT,” Wachob said. “We are heartened to see so many responders in the community were eager for this opportunity.”
The training is offered by First Choice Services, a Charleston-based nonprofit with a state grant to coordinate CIT programs across West Virginia.
The film’s director and several cast members are expected to attend Wednesday’s screening and will be on hand to answer questions, according to Loudin.
Sponsors include the Buckhannon Rotary, FOP Local Lodge 114, the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association and First Choice Services.
The CIT training is part of a broader partnership between First Choice Services and the Buckhannon Police Department. In early 2024, the city approved a memorandum of understanding with First Choice to embed a peer recovery support specialist within the police department — one of the first programs of its kind in the state.
Erica Bennett, a drug court program graduate with five years in recovery, was hired for the position that spring. She has since helped connect dozens of residents to addiction treatment, mental health resources and housing. Updating city council in November, Bennett said many of the people she has worked with are now in stable housing and rebuilding relationships with their families.
Drug overdoses and overdose deaths have declined in Buckhannon since the program launched, according to Gregory and Bennett. Mayor Robbie Skinner praised the work at the November meeting, saying he has noticed a visible change in downtown.
“If other communities aren’t doing this, or something like this, they really should be,” Skinner said.
