Prosecutor's Office Delivers Opioid Presentation to Picatinny Arsenal

Published on October 29, 2019

On October 21, Morris County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury 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.).

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.

Seabury presenting in front of a projection screen Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury

The presentation was held in observation of Red Ribbon Week, a Department of Defense initiative 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.

Seabury discussed the Overdose Prevention Act and Drug Court program, criminal justice measures to treat and not just incarcerate 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 Stigma-Free 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 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 Fredric M. 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. "

Tagged as: