From Livingston Township: On Friday, Oct. 6, the Livingston Police Department will be participating in the NJ Statewide single-day “Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day”. The Police Department is partnering with the Livingston Health Department and Livingston Municipal Alliance Committee to help raise awareness of the dangers of opioids and addiction.

Community members all across the state are being invited by the NJ Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services to participate by speaking with members of their community about the rising rates of opioid abuse.

“All are encouraged to do whatever they can to share information, have discussions, and raise awareness of the potential for dependency on prescription pain medications, which is linked to increasing rates of heroin abuse in the state,” stated Officer Joy Klapal of Livingston’s Community Policing Unit.

One way to increase awareness is by volunteering or by sharing information available on drugfreenj.org/knockoutvolunteers. The initiative also encourages sharing pictures and using #KnockOutOpioidAbove. Volunteers and members our LPD, Health Department and LMAC will be placing
#KnockOutOpioidAbuse door hangers on vehicles in the parking lot of the Senior/Community Center at 204 Hillside Avenue. Health Department will have information regarding opioid abuse at the Paint the Town Pink event at Town Hall on Friday morning at 9:30 a.m.

Members of the Livingston Police Department will be placing #KnockOutOpioidAbuse door hangers on vehicles in the Livingston High School parking lots and around the Oval. “We will have an information kiosk set up outside the high school,” continued Officer Klapal, “with information available for students on preventing and coping with opioid abuse.” During school hours, student volunteers will also place the door hangers on all classroom doors in the building. Opioid abuse is on the rise among both adults and students in New Jersey. The Livingston Police Department, Health Department and LMAC hope to raise awareness and encourage discussion here in Livingston about the potential for dependency and its link to rising rates of heroin abuse.