Riverhead police to collect unwanted prescription drugs
The Riverhead Police Department is hosting a second free drug collection day this year for residents to safely dispose of unwanted, unused or expired prescription medication this Saturday.
The collection is part of the National Take Back Initiative, police officials said.
The initiative seeks to protect families and the environment by safely clearing out potentially dangerous drugs. Riverhead police are requesting residents to check the back of their medication bottles for expired drugs.
Locals can bring the unwanted drugs to police department headquarters at 210 Howell Avenue on Sept. 29 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
There will be no charge for the service, police said.
The Riverhead Police Department held a drug take back day last April after attending a community forum held at Riverhead High School about the dangers of prescription drug abuse in young adults and teens.
Riverhead police Lt. Rick Boden, who spoke on a panel of experts at the forum, said the police department had seen an increase in driving while drugged offenses and neighborhood thefts, many of which he said are committed by addicted teens looking to steal from family and neighbors to fuel their addiction.
