Key Insights from an Implementation Event for Police-Led Drug Diversion

Could a nationally supported approach to drug diversion reduce reoffending, save millions in public money and free up resources to tackle more serious crime?

I recently attended a police-led drug diversion (PDD) implementation event at the University of Sheffield, bringing together researchers, police stakeholders and the College of Policing to discuss findings from a major national evaluation.

The research, conducted between 2022 and 2026 across 13 English police forces, provides compelling evidence for expanding diversion as an alternative to criminalisation.

Discussions explored the successes of established schemes, including those in West Midlands and Durham, barriers preventing wider implementation and the national support needed to help forces adopt diversion.

My key takeaway was clear: police-led drug diversion should be a consistently available option across every police force in England and Wales.

Drug possession: a public health issue first

A strong theme emerging from the discussions was that drug use and dependency should be approached primarily as public health issues, rather than relying solely on criminal justice responses.

People caught possessing drugs should, wherever appropriate following risk and needs assessments, have the opportunity to address the circumstances contributing to their behaviour before facing criminalisation.

Crucially, in my opinion, this should extend beyond cannabis and lower-classified substances. People possessing small amounts of Class A drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine, may have the greatest need for intervention.

Diversion should provide pathways into holistic support, including substance misuse treatment, mental health provision, housing, rehabilitation, education and employment.

This does not mean overlooking violence, acquisitive crime or other serious offending. These offences must still be addressed appropriately. Rather, it recognises that criminalising drug possession alone rarely addresses the underlying causes of problematic drug use.

The evidence for change

The University of Sheffield-led evaluation found that:

• People involved in drug possession cases in forces operating diversion schemes had approximately 12% lower risk of reoffending than comparable individuals in forces without schemes.
• Individuals diverted for drug possession had 34% lower odds of reoffending than comparable non-diverted individuals, although researchers acknowledge potential selection bias.
• Diversion was associated with an estimated £726 saving per person over five years, across policing, courts and prisons.

These findings present a strong case for expanding diversion, both in reducing repeat offending and improving the use of public resources.

The financial opportunity

Home Office figures indicate approximately 157,000 drug possession offences were recorded in England and Wales in FY2025/26. *

If just 25% of these cases were diverted, applying the Sheffield evaluation’s provisional average saving would represent approximately £28.5 million in reduced criminal justice costs over five years for a single annual cohort. **

These are illustrative savings, dependent on eligibility, programme costs and local implementation.

Nevertheless, the potential is significant. Properly designed diversion programmes could offset delivery costs while reducing demand on policing, courts and prisons.

Ultimately, this creates opportunities to redirect resources towards offences with more devastating consequences for victims and communities, including murder, rape, organised crime and fraud.

National consistency, local flexibility

One of the evaluation’s most important findings was that diversion remains significantly underused, even where established schemes exist. Officer discretion was identified as a major contributing factor.

Frontline officers therefore need appropriate training, clear eligibility criteria, effective risk and needs assessment tools and accessible referral pathways.

National consistency need not mean uniform delivery. A common framework, supported by evidence, training and national guidance, can coexist with locally commissioned interventions tailored to each force area’s needs.

Rural communities may benefit from digital interventions, while areas experiencing more complex needs may require intensive, face-to-face support.

Specialist external providers, including charities, third-sector organisations and private delivery partners, can support forces without requiring them to develop every capability internally.

Greater mayoral devolution from 2027 could also provide opportunities for regional leadership, commissioning and investment in diversion services.

From evidence to implementation

The College of Policing participated in the event and expressed support for translating the research into practical guidance.

The University of Sheffield will publish further evaluation findings and guidance on the types and components of PDD schemes. The College intends to combine this evidence with feedback from the implementation events to develop advice for police forces nationally.

At Red Snapper Managed Services, we already support West Midlands Police with out-of-court drug diversion interventions and welcome conversations with other forces interested in developing similar partnerships.

The evidence supports making diversion a routine consideration for drug possession offences. The challenge now is ensuring it is consistently available, appropriately funded and effectively delivered.

Geography should not determine whether someone can address their needs through intervention rather than criminalisation.

 

Research reference: University of Sheffield – Police Drug Diversion Evaluation.

 

*The 157,000 figure is rounded from a possession offence estimate based on The Home Office’s July 2026 publication of drug related offences for FY25/26

**The £28.5 million scenario is illustrative, not a forecast. The University of Sheffield’s £726 estimate remains provisional.