Guy Farina

Guy Farina is a retired Detective Supervisor and nationally recognized expert in deflection, with a career dedicated to public safety, youth engagement, and substance use prevention. He brings decades of frontline experience addressing drug impairment, substance use, and the long-term effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Farina is widely recognized for his leadership, expertise, and innovative approaches to community-centered policing and deflection initiatives.

Farina is a nationally certified Drug Recognition Expert (DRE), instructor, and DRE Course Manager. He served on the New York State DRE Technical Advisory Panel, was a founding member of the New York State DRE Tablet and Data Collection Pilot Project, and coordinated Region One of the New York State DRE Program. In 2020, he was one of only three DRE instructors selected to serve on the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) “Recognizing the Cannabis-Impaired Motorist Review Committee”, contributing to curriculum review and program implementation. In 2021, he participated in a cannabis impairment study in Denver, Colorado, conducting evaluations on subjects at different stages of cannabis ingestion and impairment, from unimpaired to shortly after consumption and well beyond.

Over his career, Farina led initiatives including Narcan training and deployment, medication take-back programs, and regional gang intelligence efforts as Hudson Valley Regional Director for the New York Gang Investigators Association. In 2016, he developed and oversaw New York’s first law enforcement deflection program and later served as Law Enforcement Liaison for Hope Not Handcuffs – Hudson Valley, strengthening connections between police and community-based treatment and recovery services.

He has extensive training in victim services and trauma-informed practices, including certifications as a Victim Advocate, Domestic Violence Advocate, Sexual Assault Advocate, and Certified Forensic Interviewer of child sexual assault victims. Farina has worked extensively in crisis intervention, victim assistance, and understanding the effects of trauma. From 2005 to 2023, he also served as a New York State Certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

Farina has presented at local, state, national, and international conferences and symposiums, sharing his expertise on law enforcement deflection strategies, substance use prevention, trauma-informed policing, and victim services. His work has been recognized for community impact and professional excellence, including the Christus Victor Award, the Orange-Ulster BOCES “Make a Difference” Award, the Family Justice Award through the domestic violence survivor advocacy organization Fearless! Hudson Valley, Inc., Meritorious Service Awards, Distinguished Service Awards, and numerous life-saving honors.

Farina currently serves as Senior Program Manager with the National Deflection Technical Assistance Center at TASC’s Center for Health and Justice, providing training and technical assistance through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP). He is also the lead author of the peer-reviewed article *“Preventing Substance Use-Related Crime through Deflection” *published in the *Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Human Rights & Science *(Volume 7, Issue 3).

With decades of experience bridging law enforcement, community services, and public health, Farina continues to shape the field of deflection, supporting officers, communities, and

policymakers in adopting evidence-based strategies that reduce harm, improve outcomes, and foster trust between police and the public.