PDD Dissemination and Implementation Events: Feedback and Suggestions

In the summer and autumn of 2026, the University of Sheffield and the College of Policing held four events (one national symposium and three regional workshops) funded by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to support implementation of the findings from a major realist evaluation of police-led drug diversion (the PDD evaluation <https://sheffield.ac.uk/ccr/our-research/police-drug-diversion-realist-impact-process-and-economic-evaluation> ). Reach: The events engaged 192 registrants across police officers, civilian staff, public health and local government officials, academics, and third-sector treatment providers. Police engagement: Representatives attended from 25 police forces, covering 58% of all forces in England and Wales. Event evaluation: 87.5% of 24 survey respondents rated the events as ‘Excellent’. They mentioned the value of multi-agency networking and open, in-person discussions. Practice commitments: Survey respondents said they would take knowledge back to their areas and build stronger partnerships to expand and improve the use of PDD. Participants’ key recommendations for police, partners and the College of Policing, included: National guidance: Issue clear, central advice on PDD. Incentivise outcomes: Reclassify Outcome 22 (the diversion reporting code) as a ‘positive outcome’ in performance metrics to secure senior leadership buy-in. Funding models: The PDD evaluation found that PDD is cheaper and more effective in reducing reoffending than charge and prosecution for drug possession offences. However, savings benefit wider public services as well as police forces directly. Solutions discussed include pooled inter-agency budgets or means-tested payments by diverted suspects. Streamlined operations: Simplify administrative processes, establish centralised diversion units or ‘single points of contact’ (SPOCs) within forces, and explore making diversion the default response for eligible suspects. Tailored interventions: Balance national consistency with local flexibility by offering tiered responses—providing needs assessment followed by brief interventions for young, occasional drug users and longer, intensive programs for entrenched needs related to substance use disorders. The PDD evaluation and the discussions reported here will feed into advice to be provided by the College of Policing to expand and improve the use of PDD across England and Wales.