Officials Call For Expansion Of NYPD Drug Disposal Program

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Local leaders are calling on the NYPD to expand its prescription drug drop-off program to every precinct in the city.

The program, which was introduced in five police precincts in Staten Island and Brooklyn in 2014, allows residents to drop off unused prescription drugs with no questions asked.

Now, Rep. Dan Donovan and State Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis want to bring the program to every police station.

"In the 18 months this pilot program has been in effect in the four precincts in Staten Island we've had such great success," Donovan told 1010 WINS. "We've colelcted 68 cubic feet of pills, which is about 500 gallons worth of pills."

The goal is to get drugs off the streets and away from people who might abuse them.

"It's a way of us getting unused prescription drugs out of people's medicine cabinets and into the right hands," Donovan said. "It's a proper, safe way of disposing of these."

Each box costs about $430, and Donovan is calling on City Hall and local elected officials to find the funds to expand the program.

"Certainly we're not asking the police department to take it out of their limited budget, we need them to use their resources protecting our city," Donovan told WCBS 880's Alex Silverman.

Last week, officials on Long Island announced 2,000 pounds or one ton of unwanted prescription drugs were collected in a year in a similar drug-disposal program.