MORRIS COUNTY — On October 21, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury, under the direction of Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, provided an “Opiates 101” presentation at Picatinny Arsenal in recognition of the National Red Ribbon Campaign and Army Substance Abuse Program (A.S.A.P.). CAP Seabury was joined by Christopher Moore, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program Manager and Andrea Pastuck, Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center.
The presentation was held in observation of Red Ribbon Week, designated to take place October 23-31. In 1990, the Department of Defense joined a national effort to encourage service members to keep communities drug-free and to recognize outstanding outreach programs.
The “Opiates 101” presentation provided the audience with information concerning the heroin and opioid epidemic affecting New Jersey residents, as well as what measures members of law enforcement are taking to fight this scourge. CAP Seabury discussed the Overdose Prevention Act and Drug Court program, criminal justice measures to treat and not just incarcerated individuals suffering from substance abuse disorders; New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program (NJPMP) database; and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations Intelligence Center Drug Monitoring Initiative, utilizing real-time intelligence.
CAP Seabury noted that since 2014, at least 342 people in Morris County have lost their lives to heroin or prescription overdoses. CAP Seabury enforced that community education is a crucial component to combatting the crisis.
“This disease does not discriminate, it affects people of all different backgrounds,” said CAP Seabury. “We know from this particular community problem that our traditional methodology of arrest and prosecute are not conducive to help individuals suffering from addiction. Instead, substance abuse-affected offenders need treatment to break the cycle of addiction.”
Prosecutor Knapp said, “The heroin and opioid epidemic continues to be a scourge on the citizens of New Jersey. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office will continue to combat this epidemic through our various initiatives and our strong focus on educating the public.”
