Drug takeback event nets 120 pounds

RIO RANCHO — Two big, black garbage bags sat full of unused drugs in the lobby of the Rio Rancho Police Department as noon approached on Saturday.

Sgt. Jeramie Bisagna was manning the operation as part of the DEA’s National Drug Takeback program, noting two of the main reasons for the program: keeping the drugs out of the water supply and preventing inappropriate use of prescription drugs.

“Unused or expired prescription medication are a public safety issue, leading to potential accidental poisoning, misuse and overdose. Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment. ... Unneeded prescription medication — those that are old, unwanted or no longer needed — are a public safety issue, too often becoming a gateway to addiction,” reads a DEA flier on the event. “Pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision. A majority of people who misuse a prescription medication obtained the medication from a family member or a friend.”

Capt. Jacquelynn Reedy said on Tuesday that 120 pounds of medications were turned in during Saturday’s event.

“It was a wonderful and fulfilling event. Many people dropping off unused drugs had family members who have passed, or battled diseases such as cancer,” she said. “It is a great way to meet the community and provide a free service that aids in public safety by properly disposing of drugs.”

The drug take-back events are no-questions-asked in an effort to make the public comfortable turning the medications in. Bisagna said all the items returned Saturday will be sealed and brought to the DEA office in Albuquerque to be properly destroyed.

For those who still have unwanted, unused or expired prescription drugs, it’s not too late.

“If citizens are needing to drop off drugs in the near future, many pharmacies have collections. RRPD will continue to host Drug Take Backs periodically,” Reedy said.

For RRPD, there was more to the collection event. Saturday also marked the 10-year anniversary of the death of Officer Anthony Haase, “a dedicated public servant whose life was tragically cut short in a motor vehicle crash ten years ago,” the department wrote on Facebook. “As we reflect on the legacy he left behind, our hearts are filled with both sorrow and gratitude. ... You are deeply missed, but your spirit will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew you and in the community you cherished. Rest in peace, dear friend. Your watch may be over, but your legacy will shine brightly on our memories forever.”

To honor Haase, a floral arrangement was on on display in front of his memorial in the RRPD lobby during the drug takeback.