Are Drugs a Rising Concern in Western Morris?

Western Morris County towns have seen a spike in drug-related arrests through the first half of 2012.

The police department there made seven arrests that year for controlled dangerous substances, but has already logged 34 arrests through the midway point of 2012.

There were 28 arrests made by the Chester Township police department in all of 2011, and if this year’s pattern holds, the municipality could see a 1,000-percent increase over the past three years.

Data showed that of the 38 controlled dangerous substance arrests made by that town’s police department, 32 were for individuals 30 years old and younger. Moreover, 22 of them were 20 years old or younger.

Much like Chester Township, the police department in Mendham Township has seen an uptick in drug-related arrests as well.

Mendham Township Police Lt. Vito Abrusci said year-to-date that arrest number has ballooned to 110 drug arrests.

Another standout number that ties Washington Township and Mendham Township is the amount of drug-related overdoses both towns have seen.

“In 2009, we had one overdose, we had two in 2010 and three in 2011,” Abrusci said. “We have had three already in 2012 and one of them was fatal.”

The number is the same in Washington Township, save for any fatal incidents. One person was said to have overdosed on aerosol products, while two more need resuscitation from their narcotic overdose, according to Washington Township Police Lt. Doug Compton.

"We haven't had that many (overdoses) in a long time," Compton said. The 18-year department member said there was a time, more than a decade ago, that overdoses were high because heroin was being introduced to Washington Township residents at a high rate.

Many of the drug arrests are tied to the use of marijuana, the data shows. In Washington Township, 32 of the 38 arrests were for pot or related to it, while 30 of the 34 arrests in Chester Township were for the same.

“We have two of those marijuana arrests with over 50 grams already this year, and that is a significant amount," Chester Township Lt. Tom Williver said.

Are drugs a problem in the Western Morris area? Do these statistics alarm you as a resident? Are they less than you would expect?