Telling The Truth - Drug Problems In Lacey No Secret

Unlike officials in some other towns, Police Chief David A. Paprota and Mayor David E. Most are going public with Lacey's growing drug problem.

"Nobody is immune," Most said.

Paprota says drugs are the biggest problem in Lacey.

"The most profound issue the department is dealing with is drug abuse, which is at alarming proportions throughout Ocean County," the chief said. "lllegal opioid prescription drug and heroin use has claimed the lives of far too many of our residents in recent years."

Dealing with Lacey's drug problem is not just about making arrests. The police department is using "every possible avenue" to deal with rampant drug use,  Paprota said.

"Aggressive investigative and enforcement efforts are at the core of our approach, but are not the total answer to dealing with the problem," he said.

Since there are many factors that contribute to drug use, the department takes a "holistic" view of the problem, Paprota said.

"Therefore, the approach needs to involve more than just arresting people," he said.

Providing information, educating the public and providing prescription drug drop boxes are key, Paprota said.
 
Growing drug use in the township also translates into more thefts, burglaries and break-ins, Most said.

"A lot of crime here in Lacey Township is tied to drugs," Most said. "This is turning into an epidemic and it's county-wide."

Paprota said he didn't feel comfortable releasing statistics about recent drug overdoses and deaths, since toxicological reports are not yet back inmany cases.

"I am making every effort to properly classify incidents," the chief said. "But there is a significant lag in obtaining conclusive data."

Both Paprota and Most are encouraged by the tough stance taken by new Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato since he took over earlier this year.

A spike in overdoses prompted officials with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office recently to team up with Atlantic County officials to form a task force to tackle what several law enforcement officials have dubbed a heroin "crisis" in the area.

"It's all over the county. To me, in my opinion, it's a crisis," the prosecutor said during an assembly at Toms River High School North this spring.