By Martin Couch
Back in February, the Bryant Police Department participated in a Saline County Operation Medicine Cabinet that was designed to allow folks to turn in their expired drugs in the medicine cabinets for disposal by the Bryant Police Department.
"In an eight-hour period we took in over 52,000 pills," Bryant Police Chief Tony Coffman said.[more]
As a courtesy to the public, the Bryant Police are again taking part in Operation Medicine Cabinet 2 which is encompassing all of Arkansas on Saturday. The Bryant Police will be set up at this year's Fall Fest at Mills Park between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. taking in expired medicine from the citizens.
Operation Medicine Cabinet is actually nationwide this Saturday conducted by the DEA. It was created to aid police officers in keeping old, unused medicines out of drug-dealer hands. It provides an alternative that is safer than pouring them down the drain into the city's water system.
Gift cards or coupons from local businesses will be given out for those who turn in their old, unused medicine on Saturday. There are over 200 drop-off locations in Arkansas and more than 180 city and county police and sheriff's departments around the state that are participating this year. All drop offs are anonymous.
Russell Goodwin, long time American Legion baseball coach in Benton and owner of Benton Monument Company, created the prescription drug booklets to educate the public on the dangers of unused or old medicines.
"It was to cut down on the rising accidental death rates by drug misuse among teens and young adults," Goodwin said. "I was seeing an increase in deaths of this nature through my work."
The confidential program will allow adult family members to visit any local department where law enforcement officers will collect and hold all medications.
"It's statewide and we are participating," Coffman said. "This is the second one we've done with everybody in the county involved. We just want to remind people to check the dates on the medicine they are taking and throw out the old stuff."
Drop off points around Saline County on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. are:
Bryant Police at Fall Fest in Mills Park
Bauxite Police at the Main Station at 6055 Stanley LaneBenton Police at the
Benton Police Station Main and Military Road
Saline County Sheriff’s Office at the Harvest Foods in East End and Arch Street and at East Coate in Hot Springs Village
Hot Springs Village Police at the main station on 113 Calella Raod
Shannon Hills Police at 11610 Countyline Road
Haskell Police at Haskell City Hall
