Frederick Ryan, Chief of Police
112 Mystic St.
Arlington, MA 02474
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Arlington Police Collect 75 Pounds of Drugs During Take Back Event
ARLINGTON — Chief Frederick Ryan is pleased to announce that the Arlington Police Department collected 75 pounds of prescription drugs during last weekend’s National Drug Take Back Day.
On April 30, Arlington residents turned in their old, unused, or potentially harmful drugs and medications to the police department. All substances were then given to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for proper disposal. The Arlington Police Department has been active in the disposal of prescription drugs and subsequent recovery in the community for many years.
“The results of last weekend’s take back event show that the residents of Arlington hear us when we, as a department, say we want to help,” Chief Ryan said. “But it goes both ways: we, the police, need the community’s help too – doing their part to rid their homes of opiates and de-stigmatizing this disease.”
In July 2015, Chief Ryan launched the Arlington Outreach Initiative, a new policing program intended to assist those struggling with substance use disorders. A public health clinician, embedded within the Arlington Police Department, helps officers reach out to those affected, along with their families and friends. The goal of the initiative is to educate community members about the recovery options and resources available to them and to provide and teach the administration of Nasal Narcan — the potentially lifesaving opioid reversal drug.
The Arlington Outreach Initiative is inspired by the Gloucester Police Department ANGEL Initiative, created by Chief Campanello. These two initiatives serve as the model programs for members of the Police Assisted Addiction Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.).
About National Drug Take Back Day:
National Drug Take Back Day is a free and anonymous event coordinated by the DEA and police departments. The designated day gives the public an opportunity to prevent substance abuse by disposing of potentially dangerous expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs in their possession. The DEA accepted pills and patches but does not take liquids, needles, or sharps.
Last September, Americans turned in 309 tons (over 617,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at nearly 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,000 of its state and municipal law enforcement partners. Since the first Take Back event, the DEA and its partners have taken in over 4.8 million pounds of drugs.
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