Jim Johnson

Jim Johnson is a retired police chief and a national leader in drug policy and harm reduction. His work in Huntington, West Virginia, a city hit hard by the opioid crisis, has become a model for communities across the country. As the former police chief, he saw firsthand the devastating effects of addiction. Instead of focusing only on arrests, he chose a new path. He led the creation of Huntington’s Office of Drug Control Policy and formed key partnerships with public health and community groups. Under his leadership, the city developed a comprehensive harm reduction program, which provided services like needle exchanges and the overdose reversal drug naloxone. This innovative program served more than 2,000 people and led to over 1,000 overdose reversals. He also started the W.E.A.R. (Woman’s Empowerment Addiction Recovery) program, which focused specifically on helping women involved in the sex trade due to their addiction. These programs gained national recognition for their collaborative approach. Though retired from his state role, Jim continues to speak at national forums, sharing his experience and advocating for new ways for law enforcement and communities to work together to fight the opioid epidemic.