With fishing boats dotting the harbor and streets lined with picturesque wood paneled homes, Gloucester can seem like an idyllic Massachusetts coastal city. But like much of New England, Gloucester has an opioid problem. In the first four months of 2015, four citizens have died of overdoses from heroin and various prescription drugs.

The deaths spurred a public forum and new action on the part of the Gloucester Police Department. In a Facebook post last month, Police Chief Leonard Campanello announced that the department would start helping addicts instead of arresting them.