Look Who it Was Random video

Recovering addict and arresting officer team up for heroin awareness

190 views · Published 25 October 2016 · 2:31 · Indexed 21 September 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2016 · News & Politics

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DILLSBORO (Angela Ingram) - When John Bitzer was in the back of a police cruiser years ago, he probably never thought the man arresting him would become a friend. Bitzer says Dillsboro's police chief helped save his life.

At a march Tuesday evening, recovering addicts, their families and people from the small town walk are united. In the crowd, Dillsboro's police chief is there with a man he once arrested, John Bitzer.

"I was in a really really bad spot. My heroin addiction was probably at its worst and the day he arrested me was the worst and the best day of my life," Bitzer said.

John started a non-profit called 1 Voice to help people struggling with addiction and to raise awareness. This was the group's third rally in the past few months. It's a much different life than John was living a few years ago.

Chief Ryan Brandt of Dillsboro said, "I talked with several of John's friends who told me he was in a really bad place in a really bad time. He was using heroin sometimes two, three times a day."

When John got arrested, he did his time at the Dearborn County Jail. He entered a program called JCAP or jail Chemical Addiction Program. He says it was at that point his life began to change and change for the better. The first person he called was Chief Brandt.

Brandt said, "Most people that I arrest, don't want to come talk to me, don't want to better themselves. John and several others that were here tonight prove now to be successful members of the community."

The result of that arrest was an unlikely friendship,,, an odd couple of sorts. John has a new life and he has found a way to give back and help others.

"If it wasn't for the chief of police , I wouldn't be alive right now," said John.

1 Voice is working with the city of Lawrenceburg to open two sober living houses for addiction recovery. The group's next march and rally will be in Rising Sun.

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