Montclair Police Officers Walk for Opioid Awareness

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Members of the Montclair Police Department recently joined more than 500 Essex County residents at the fourth annual “Take Strides, Save Lives” opioid awareness event.

Chief Todd Conforti, Sergeant Charles Cunningham, Detective Macheo McClean of the Narcotics Bureau, and officers in the Community Service Unit took part in the walk, which began at the Newark School Stadium, with stop and start locations along Bloomfield Avenue at the Bloomfield Fire House, Glen Ridge Town Hall, Montclair Art Museum, Verona Town Hall, and Better Life Recovery in Caldwell.

The walk ended with a luncheon program with speakers and award presentations at First Baptist Church in Caldwell.

The event was sponsored by the Essex Health & Wellness Recovery Center. The luncheon program, which began with a welcome and introductory comments by the center’s executive director, Robin Lavorato, included remarks from members of law enforcement agencies and testimonies from those who lost loved ones to the addiction. The center awarded Detective McClean the 2021 Achievement Award.

“The importance of law enforcement agencies spreading awareness about opioid addiction and recovery cannot be emphasized more strongly,” Conforti said. “It is not enough to focus solely on treating those who are addicted. We must bring awareness to our communities in the hope of reducing the risk factors, increasing access to resources, and working to overcome the barriers that prevent people from seeking help.”

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