09/30/2026
Law Enforcement Appreciation Message:
It’s the last day of . Summit County Turning Point Program has had so many beautiful things to celebrate - from our resource fair to our kickball game to our beautiful graduation with ten folks who completed the program, reclaimed their lives and are now eligible to join the Summit County Turning Point Program Alumni Group. Our team approach to recovery wouldn’t be possible without our partners in law enforcement. You may not know that we invite the arresting officers from every jurisdiction to come to our graduation ceremony and see the changes made by the person arrested. We are always so grateful for the officers who accept the invitation and come to the ceremony; and, it’s always a moving moment to have a graduating defendant shake hands with or hug the police officer who took them into custody more than a year earlier. Many of them mark it as a true turning point in their lives. I want to take a moment and shoutout Sergeant Nick Film, Officer Gwen Phillips and Detective Gary White from Akron Police Department. Detective White and Detective Kyle Shaffer are at Turning Point every week to provide support for our participants. Sergeant Film and Officer Phillips were arresting officers for two graduates. They attended the ceremony, shook hands with our graduates and offered them some really encouraging words. Officer Phillips, recognizing the challenging road of recovery, even brought the graduate a gift - items she uses to relieve stress in her own life. Unfortunately, Detective White (another arresting officer for the same graduate) was in a police training and couldn’t attend the graduation ceremony. But he took the time to record and send a video message to the man he arrested years earlier. Words can’t express how meaningful it was to the graduate and to the folks in attendance. Take four minutes and watch this - because I know you will be moved. Thank you isn’t enough to these officers who not only put their lives on the line for our safety every day, but who take time to help those navigating the field of recovery. I am proud to work with them as we fight for a brighter and safer future for everyone.
