DART Coalition Lauds Lacey For Efforts To Fight Underage Drinking And Drug Use

The DART Coalition, part of RWJ Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention, has awarded Lacey Township the prestigious "Town of Excellence" award in fighting underage drinking and the use of illegal drugs, Police Chief Michael C. DiBella said.

Lacey was the only municipality in the state to receive the award in 2016, Mayor Peter Curatolo said at a recent Township Committee meeting.

The Lacey Police Department's "5x Sticker-Shock" program" - is based on the premise that children are five times more likely to develop an alcohol problem if they start drinking before age 15. The 5x campaign focuses on adults who purchase alcohol legally then give it to minors. School students placed bright red stickers on alcohol products warning about the penalties for providing liquor to underage drinkers.

Lieutenant Paul Sullivan, Jr., presented the "Parents who Host Lose the Most" alcohol prevention campaign program during both the Lacey Township High School Freshman Orientation and the Lacey Township Middle School Back to School Night in 2016. The "Parents Who Host Lose the Most" program is a public awareness program about the health and safety risks of serving alcohol at teenage parties. The program encourages parents and the community to send a unified message that teen alcohol consumption is unhealthy, unsafe and not acceptable.

The Lacey Township police department was one of the first police departments to supply a medicine drop-box in the police headquarters lobby. The drop-box is used for the proper disposal of unwanted medications, except liquids or syringes.The program is anonymous and no record is made of individual identities related to the discarded medications.

At no time do you need to check in with the Police Dispatch Center or speak with any officers. The Medicine drop-box is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

Lacey Township will continue to focus on the above initiatives in 2017. The Lacey Township Police Department is in the initial stages of providing the "LEADS" program, also known as "Law Enforcement Against Drugs" to the schoolchildren of Lacey Township, DiBella said.

"I will continue to bring drug and alcohol prevention and education programs to our community," the chief said. In addition, I would like to personally thank the DART Coalition, the Lacey Township Committee, the Lacey Township Board of Education, the Municipal Alliance, the members of the Lacey Township Police Department, and all other assisting agencies, for their support and dedication leading to this award."

Image: Lacey Township police department.