For Immediate Release

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

East Bridgewater Police Collect 160 Pounds of Drugs During Take Back Events

EAST BRIDGEWATER – Police Chief John Cowan is pleased to announce that the East Bridgewater Police Department took back a total of 160.4 pounds of prescription drugs as a result of multiple “take back days,” including last weekend’s National Drug Take Back Day on April 30.

The 160 pounds of drugs, which get turned into the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), were a combination of medications collected from the East Bridgewater Police Department’s Lobby DrugBox that have accumulated over the past several months, as well as the take back event.

“This is one more step that the department and EB HOPE has taken to fight addiction in our community,” said Chief Cowan. “We encourage our residents to rid their homes of these substances which can be very dangerous, and I’m glad to see it’s working.”

Last October, the East Bridgewater Police Department joined the Police Assisted Addiction Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) to further their EB HOPE Substance Abuse Outreach and Intervention Program, a non-profit volunteer organization started in 2011.

EB HOPE is a collaboration of members from the community, including local police, school department personnel, local town government, drug treatment and recovery members, the local clergy and residents suffering from substance abuse and/or their family members. The program targets East Bridgewater residents, but also incorporates residents from neighboring communities including West Bridgewater, Bridgewater and Whitman, totaling 63,000 residents.

Residents who missed the National Drug Take Back Day can also drop off their prescription drugs at the East Bridgewater Police Department’s Lobby DrugBox, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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 will accept pills and patches but cannot 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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