If Adam Chaprales has his say, Massachusetts residents will for the first time have access to critical public safety information about convicted drug dealers lurking in their neighborhoods.
That’s according to legislation that Chaprales, who is a candidate running for State Representative in the Second Barnstable District, says he will file as his first piece of business as a newly-elected representative in January.
“For years, residents have been able to track the whereabouts of dangerous sex offenders who live in Massachusetts,” said Chaprales. “We recognize the importance of disseminating information about those offenders to the public as an important matter of public safety. Given the current drug abuse crisis facing Massachusetts and, in particular, Cape Cod, I think it’s every bit as important for us to recognize the importance of tracking where convicted drug dealers live.”
Chaprales is quick to point out that his proposed legislation would not apply to those convicted only of possession of a controlled substance. “I recognize that, in many cases, people who are arrested for drug possession are addicts who most need treatment to cure their addiction,” said Chaprales. “Those people are a concern and they need our help, but they are not our primary public safety concern. It’s drug dealers we need to target the most. That’s why the legislation I am proposing would apply only to those convicted two or more times of possessing an illegal narcotic with intent to distribute, and to all those convicted of trafficking illegal narcotics.”
“Drug distributors and traffickers are dangerous, hardened criminals,” continued Chaprales. "Just as our laws recognize the danger that these criminals will re-offend and we therefore impose tough prison sentences for these serious crimes, as a matter of public safety, so too should our laws provide a way for innocent members of the general public to know if one of these dangerous felons is lurking in their neighborhoods after their release from prison. It just makes sense to me that parents and older people should be able to know if there is a serious public safety risk living next door to them.”
Chaprales has made combating drug abuse a top issue in his campaign and has vowed to use the power of his office to help fight drugs if he is elected. A former municipal official with experience working on drug abuse prevention issues, Chaprales is endorsed in his run for state representative by several area law enforcement officials, including Barnstable County Sheriff James Cummings, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe, and Barnstable Clerk of Courts Scott Nickerson.
“My campaign is focused on communities,” said Chaprales. “I want to make sure that our communities have jobs to support working families. I want to make sure our communities have robust local aid to support our schools and municipal services. And, I want to make sure our communities have the resources they need to fight the problem of drug abuse in our streets."