“I want to thank the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the US Attorney’s Office, and our own Newark Police Division for their extremely effective work in investigating and charging these members of a drug trafficking organization based in Newark, and their efforts to keep our city safe every day.

“It is appalling that three of the individuals who were charged today are part-time employees of the city’s Department of Recreation, Cultural Affairs, and Senior Services. The use of a recreation center for the delivery of narcotics, as a place to stash drugs and money, is despicable, and must not happen again. All three employees have been terminated from municipal service.

“This afternoon, I met with our Recreation staff, to reiterate critically important city policies affecting this issue. In addition, we will institute more rigorous screening procedures for hiring part-time employees as we already do with full-time employees. We will also investigate to see if other policies were violated. If so, we will act quickly.

“Finally, I would like to re-assure every person who uses our Recreation Centers, regardless of age, that they are safe and welcome for every resident and will remain that way.”

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– NEWARK –