The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) hosts DEA Take back which allows for people to drop off expired of unneeded medication without question. The Drug Enforcement Administration is a U.S. federal law enforcement agency tasked with combating illicit drug trafficking and distribution in the U.S., run by incumbent Anne Milgram, since June 28, 2021. It runs once during April and once during October every year. The DEA reaches out and encourages police stations all over the Country to register and help provide a safe place to properly dispose of any kinds of medication that is expired or no longer needed. The East Haven Police Department has been teaming up with the DEA for about 6 years now.
Officer Nicole Burrell, the EHHS school resource officer, explains how anyone who needs to dispose of medication could walk into the police station and let someone know that you are trying to dispose of medicine and a police officer will assist you.
Even though the DEA Takeback is mainly targeted towards the safe disposal of medication, the police department will take anything you want to turn in with no questions asked, including illegal substances. The substance will be confiscated, but you will not receive any consequences, and they will offer help to that person by suggesting rehabilitation centers.
Captain Joseph Murgo, the Captain of the EH police department believes this organization impacts the community by being able to provide a safe, trustworthy environment for people to dispose of medication in case they don’t know what to do with it and to prevent it from getting into the wrong hands.
The EHPD doesn’t have a set date for their next DEA Takeback day, but it should be sometime in April 2025. Officer Burrell and Captain Joseph Murgo plan to expand the event in years to come.
