Chester Drug Arrests Up 700% Since 2010, Data Shows

The Chester Township Police Department has reported a nearly 750 percent increase in drug-related arrests since 2010. According to officials, there has not been a change in enforcement policies or procedures to account for the change.

Chester Township Lt. Tom Williver (who complied the statistics for release) said that the township went from seven total arrests (five for marijuana) in 2010 to 28 in all of 2011 (26 for marijuana). In 2012 there were 51 drug arrests (47 for marijuana). 

Williver is a drug recognition expert (DRE), officers trained to be able to identify drug impaired drivers, said that Chester Township saw four marijuana arrests of over 50 grams and an increase in arrests for prescription drugs and Ecstasy.

These numbers come on the heels of drug related arrests where alleged drug dealers were found to be armed with a gun and a knife.

Numbers also rose in nearby Mendham Township, but Lt. Vito Abrusci of the Mendham Township Police said the economy and aggressive nature if his department may be contributing factors in the increase.

Last summer, the Daytop hearings in Mendham before the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Task Force on Heroin and Other Opiate Use Amongst New Jersey's Youth and Young Adults reported the abuse of presciption drugs and marijuana as self medication was leading to an epidemic of heroin users. 

According to parent and expert testimony . There is a shift in not only their drug of choice, but also in demographics; heroin abuse is rapidly sweeping through rural and suburban areas.

And much of it, according to officials on the GCADA, could be tied to the initial use of prescription drugs and marijuana.

Chester Borough Arrest Number Spikes

Over in Chester Borough, Sgt. Dave Jara reported an increase in drug arrests from 2011 to 2012.

According to the latest figures available, Chester Borough had 11 drug related arrests in 2011 and that number increased to 13 in 2012. According to Jara the reporting system in the days following Hurricane Sandy and the Borough did transfer its record to the Morris County Records Management System.

“So the numbers may be off a bit but not terribly,” Jara said.

Jara said that Chester Borough had 624 more calls for service in 2012 over 2011.