In 2023, San Jose firefighters raised alarms about missing addictive painkillers and incidents of administering tampered morphine vials to patients. Internal emails reveal that Fire Chief Robert Sapien and city officials were aware of a drug theft crisis long before it was disclosed publicly following the arrest of Fire Capt. Mark Moalem for suspected opioid theft. The communications indicate that tampering incidents prompted concern among firefighters. Despite notifying law enforcement, the investigation did not identify a suspect. Mayor Matt Mahan has promised accountability and called for improved monitoring of controlled substances in the fire department.
Fire Chief Robert Sapien acknowledged that firefighters had raised alarms about missing painkillers and that the issue was known to city leaders for over a year.
Mayor Matt Mahan emphasized the importance of accountability, stating that someone who swore to serve and protect had allegedly done the opposite, which is unacceptable.
The investigation by the DEA and SJPD ultimately did not yield a suspect, but actions were taken to address the tampering incidents.
The emails from November and December 2023 indicated that up to 17 fire stations were potentially affected by the missing narcotics.
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