Whidbey cops are taking back unwanted drugs

Island County Sheriff Mark Brown, at left, Coupeville Marshal Lance Davenport and Lt. Tim Sterkel, acting chief of the Oak Harbor Police Department have organized a drug take-back event. - Jessie Stensland / Whidbey News-Times
Jessie Stensland / Whidbey News-Times
Island County Sheriff Mark Brown, at left, Coupeville Marshal Lance Davenport and Lt. Tim Sterkel, acting chief of the Oak Harbor Police Department have organized a drug take-back event.

By JESSIE STENSLAND
Whidbey News Times Assistant editor
September 25, 2012 · 3:08 PM

Law enforcement agencies on Whidbey Island are again teaming up to collect drugs.

The Island County Sheriff’s Office, the Oak Harbor Police Department and the Coupeville Marshal’s Office are holding the regular Drug Take Back event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 29.

The locations for drop off will be the Oak Harbor Police Department on Barrington Drive in Oak Harbor, the south precinct of the Island County Sheriff’s Office on E. Harbor Road in Freeland and the Coupeville Marshal’s Office on NE Seventh Street in Coupeville.

The program gives the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your medications for disposal. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

The program was started all over the nation by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. Last April, Americans turned in 276 tons of prescription drugs at more than 5,600 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,300 state and local law enforcement partners.

Last year, the agencies on Whidbey collected nearly 250 pounds of pills during a one-day event. Island County Sheriff Mark Brown said he sends the drugs to the DEA for disposal.

 

Contact Whidbey News Times Assistant editor Jessie Stensland at jstensland@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360.675.6611 ext. 5056.

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