Guy Farina

Jac Charlier has dedicated his justice career to reducing the number of people who become victims of crime. His mission is to make our communities safer through crime reduction, with a focus on reducing drug-related crime and victimization, including promoting recovery from drug use. Mr. Charlier is the Executive Director of TASC's Center for Health and Justice, which specializes in practical, local solutions to improve community safety by reducing drug use and drug-related crime. A former Deputy Chief with Illinois State Parole, Mr. Charlier is a founder of the international deflection field, focused on strategies that bridge law enforcement, treatment, and community to improve public safety. He also serves as CEO for the Police, Treatment, and Community Collaborative (PTACC), the definitive national and global voice of the field of deflection.

Mr. Charlier is a military veteran and Eagle Scout. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from The Ohio State University, where his thesis focused on the experiences of crime survivors. He and his wife have five children, and if he could, he would gladly pick up a rugby match after 11 years of equally enjoyable and painful games.

Guy Farina is a retired Detective Supervisor with a distinguished career dedicated to public safety, youth engagement, substance use prevention, and community-based intervention. He brings decades of frontline experience addressing drug impairment, substance use disorders, and the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

Farina is a nationally certified Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) and Instructor, former member of the New York State DRE Technical Advisory Panel, and past Region One Coordinator for New York State’s DRE program. He has led initiatives involving Narcan training and deployment, medication drop-off programs, and served as Hudson Valley Regional Director for the New York Gang Investigators Association.

In 2016, Farina spearheaded the development and oversight of New York’s first law enforcement deflection program. In 2018, he became the Law Enforcement Liaison for Hope Not Handcuffs–Hudson Valley, a position he originated to strengthen collaboration between law enforcement and community-based deflection efforts.

Farina holds advanced training in victim services, including certifications as a Victim Advocate, Domestic Violence Advocate, Sexual Assault Advocate, and Certified Forensic Interviewer of Child Sexual Assault Victims. He is also credentialed in victim assistance, crisis intervention, trauma-informed care, and sexual assault. From 2005 to 2023, he served as a New York State Certified Emergency Medical Technician.

Currently, Farina is a Senior Program Manager with TASC’s Center for Health and Justice, providing consulting, training, and technical assistance through BJA’s COSSUP.

He is lead author of “Preventing Substance Use-Related Crime through Deflection,” published in JMSHRS, Volume 7, Issue 3.