GDP Drug Take Back effort again a success

To the Editor:

I would like to personally thank everyone who participated in the Greencastle Police Department's Drug Take Back Event III on Oct. 29.

I want to thank the Greencastle School Corporation for the use of the Greencastle High School parking lot for the event.

This four-hour event saw 88 vehicles drive through the site, collecting 23 boxes of medication totaling 277 pounds. This past spring the four-hour collection period saw 62 vehicles and collected 171 pounds of medication.

Some local agencies that utilized the Drug Take Back Event this year include the Putnam County Coroner's Office, Putnam County Sheriff's Department and the Greencastle Police Department.

In the state of Indiana approximately 66 law enforcement agencies participated and approximately 13,000 pounds or 6.5 tons of medications were collected. The nationwide stats are as follows 5,327 law enforcement sites participated collecting approximately 188.5 tons of medication.

I would like to thank the following people and businesses for their assistance with this event: Russ Hesler and Dan Green with the Greencastle School Corporation, Corporal Jerrod Baugh of the Indiana State Excise Police, S & W Feed Center with weighing the 23 boxes of medications collected, Putnam County Hospital Pharmacy for donating sharp containers and hazmat bags, and Lisa Baker and Mary Williams with their assistance in passing out flyers in their communities.

This event was such a great success that the Greencastle Police Department will continue to participate in the Drug Take Back program for years to come.

Thanks again for helping make Greencastle and Putnam County a safer place to live.

Chief Tom Sutherlin

Greencastle Police Department