North Plainfield Police - Quick Response Team
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Quick Response Team
The North Plainfield Police Department (NPPD) Quick Response Team (QRT) is an innovative and community-focused initiative designed to combat addiction, particularly in response to the opioid epidemic.
Launched in 2026 by Chief Alan McKay, the QRT is a partnership between the North Plainfield Police Department, Somerset County Helping Hands and local addiction recovery services. It is one of the first programs of its kind on a municipal police level in Somerset County New Jersey, with a mission to provide timely, compassionate support to individuals struggling with various substance use disorders, especially those who have survived an overdose.
The QRT operates by intervening within twelve to seventy-two hours of an overdose incident. After NPPD Police Officers or NPFD firefighter-EMT’s save a life using Naloxone or through other emergency measures, the QRT contacts & visits the individual at their home or another safe location. The unit also intervenes on all other drug & alcohol related incidents when appropriate.
The team, composed of a specially trained police officer(s), and sometimes a social worker or addiction specialist, offers immediate support and resources. The QRT utilizes unmarked vehicles that have no resemblance to law enforcement and our officers utilize plain clothes when responding to individuals in crises. This practice is designed to reduce the stigma, anxiety, and potential for behavioral escalation that can sometimes occur when uniformed officers arrive on a scene.
The Quick Response Team falls under our Community Policing Unit in our table of Organization (T.O) and is assigned to the Criminal Investigation division.
The key goal is to connect individuals with addiction treatment services, such as detox programs, inpatient or outpatient care, and counseling, often at the moment when they are most likely to be receptive to help. The NPPD QRT is paired with a licensed physician who specializes in addiction medicine and can provide qualifying individuals with life-saving FDA-approved medication specifically for opioid use disorder (OUD).
The QRT also provides harm reduction education to our schools, local individuals and their families, helping them understand the risks associated with opioid use and how to reduce the chances of future overdoses. Family members are informed about the signs of overdose, proper use of Naloxone, and available community resources to support both the individual in recovery and the family as a whole.
NPPD’s QRT is built on the principle that addiction is a chronic illness, not a moral failure, and that recovery is a long-term process requiring support, education, and multiple opportunities for engagement. By focusing on relationship-building and ongoing follow-up, the QRT helps individuals feel less isolated and more empowered to seek help when they are ready.
This proactive and compassionate approach has one main goal which is to significantly reduce overdose rates in North Plainfield and has will hopefully be recognized as a model for other communities in Somerset and surrounding Counties grappling with the opioid crisis.
The NPPD QRT is a cornerstone of North Plainfield’s public health response to addiction, emphasizing early intervention, prevention, and sustained recovery.
Respectfully,
Chief Alan McKay