KENNEWICK, Wash. – The City of Kennewick recently celebrated its third “Pretrial Diversion Graduation,” a program designed to help people arrested by police find a path to recovery instead of facing criminal charges.
Managed by the City Attorney’s Office in collaboration with Greater Columbia Behavioral Health and Merit Resource Services, the program focuses on addressing underlying issues that lead to criminal activity. The goal is to prevent repeat offenses and create a safer community.
Since its inception about a year ago, the program has seen significant success, according to the Kennewick Police Department (KPD).
KPD said 87 participants completed their assessments, with 63 starting inpatient treatment and 43 completing it. Additionally, 15 began outpatient treatment, 11 completed it, and 12 graduated from the program.
