Business owners in Jefferson will soon be able to let drug dealers know that selling in their parking lots is unacceptable by placing stickers that read “Not Here” in their windows.

The stickers are the brainchild of Judy Castiglione and the ad hoc substance abuse awareness committee she heads on the Board of Education. The committee is comprised of board members looking into current drug trends in town and how to push drug dealing out of the township.

Castiglione and Jefferson Police Officer Joseph Hale worked on the concept and came up with the design of the sticker, which reads “Not Here” in white on a red background in the shape of a stop sign, and “Dealer Free Zone” underneath.

The stickers will come with a card that offers business owners tips on looking out for drug dealers in their parking lots. The committee is currently seeking a donation for printing and cutting the cards.

“We want to send the message to dealers that police will be patrolling the area more frequently, and that they should move on,” Castiglione said. “It’s a case of, ‘we don’t want you here, go away’.”

The committee would also like to train business owners on what to look for in their parking lots.

“If you see the same car in your parking lot at closing time every night, that’s usually not a good sign,” Castiglione said. “And if you see money changing hands in the parking lot, that’s usually a sign of a drug deal going on as well.”

The cards will also offer the police department’s phone number so business owners can report any suspicious activity they see.

Once the final printing is complete, Castiglione said the committee plans to offer the stickers and cards to every business in town.

For more information, visit Not Here on Facebook.