Local officials mull program for prescription drug disposal

Mitchell law enforcement officials say they will look into adding their own prescription drug disposal program, based on a pilot program taking place in western South Dakota.

The pilot program was implemented last week with Pennington County and Rapid City. Through the program, residents there can take excess or unneeded prescription drugs for disposal at the police and sheriff ’s departments’ joint Evidence Section, said Paige Wilbur, state Attorney General’s Office spokeswoman.

This effort will reduce the chance of unused or expired prescription drugs being taken by people who aren’t authorized to take them, Wilbur said.

Lyndon Overweg, Mitchell public safety chief, said a program in Mitchell could be run through the department’s evidence room and would require extra manpower.

“We want to monitor how it’s utilized in other communities,” he said. “There would have to be a tracking system and disposal system.

“Those would all be things we would weigh out.”

Attorney General Marty Jackley said he thinks the program would be successful because the Pennington County Sheriff ’s Office already has been proactive in letting residents drop off unused or expired prescription drugs. He said he hopes law enforcement in other areas would consider modeling a similar version of the program.

“What may work in Pennington County may not work in Harding County,” he said.

The program would not take extensive resources if law enforcement in metropolitan areas have evidence labs, Jackley said.

Authorities could consider being open one day or an evening, depending on available resources with staff or volunteers.

“It makes it attractive for a larger community and surrounding areas can take advantage of that,” he said.

Both Overweg and Davison County Sheriff David Miles like the program’s concept.

“I think it’s a good service for citizens and safe for the environment,” Overweg said.

Mitchell police have encountered an increase in the abuse of prescription drugs, such as the painkillers Oxycontin and Hydrocodone, he said. Another abused drug is valium, a minor tranquilizer.

“This would help take unused medications out of medicine cabinets,” Overweg said.

Miles said that before the sheriff ’s office would be involved, he would want to consult with Staci Eggert, executive director of the state Sheriff’s Association.

“I want to know what they are thinking or doing or get guidelines from the attorney general,” he said.

Miles pointed out one disadvantage that Mitchell law enforcement has that its Rapid City colleagues do not: Mitchell police and the sheriff ’s office are in separate buildings, in different parts of town.

“If it’s going to take more staff, I don’t have the staff,” he said. “There are a lot of things I have got to understand and know before I make any decisions.”

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