DEA & Middletown P.D. Join Forces In Drug Take-Back Program

DEA & Middletown Police Join Forces In Drug Take Back Day

By Staff Writer, Brian E, Clark

Community Relations Officer, Anthony Knapp & Officer Martz, Middletown Police Department

The epidemic of drug overdoses in this country have gotten our attention and made our leaders think outside the box a bit, and with the help of the Drug Enforcement Agency, and local Police Departments, such as our own, have created a “Drug Take Back” system of events, and resources to help the public remove drugs, and medications from their homes, with no questions asked. Overall, in its last 13 Take Back events. The DEA, and it’s local partners have taken over 8.1 million pounds of pills from homes, where otherwise, they would have been possibly able to be abused or used incorrectly.

The epidemic that has swept over this country killing unsuspecting high school kids, to business leaders, and, yes, even the elderly. Overdosing on drugs, any type of drugs, they don't discriminate. I am very good friends with many recovering addicts who have powerful, inspirational stories to tell. It’s by the grace of God that the disease of addiction didn’t take them from us, as it has done to so many others. Today’s Drug Take Back event is number 14, and according to Officer Anthony Knapp, the Community Relations Officer, of the Middletown Police Department, the DEA has planned to make the Drug Take Back events a Bi-Annual event.

Officer Martz Disposes of Some Medication Dropped Off by a Citizen

If you can’t make it to these events, locally, drop boxes are located in the Portland, and Meriden Police Station’s, where you can drop off any unused drugs anytime, again, no questions asked. As of right now the situation with overdoses in Middletown isn’t significant enough to mention, but it’s a very fluid situation that could change at any moment. At the last Drug Take-Back event the Middletown Police held in the Spring, Officer Knapp says about 190 pounds of pills and drugs were collected. I had also wondered what is done with the drugs once they are collected, and Officer Knapp stated that the drugs are incinerated, which I later learned is a closes cycled system where none of the exhaust escapes and pollutes the air.

On a personal note: Parents, keep a close eye on your kids. I know what you’re saying, “I do, I do!” What I actually mean when I say that, is drug addiction engrains itself in the person’s life, and that person craves the drug so much, that it becomes a full-time job to put on an act that to everyone else. Including, and especially their loved ones, everything is perfectly fine. I cannot count the friends I’ve lost, taken by addiction. We are truly blessed in this City, to have such a fine Community Relations Officer, as Anthony Knapp. If you suspect that someone you love is using drugs, he’d be the first call I’d make, because there are two types of Police Officers. One puts on the uniform, and the gun belt for a paycheck, and there’s another that loves the community he serves, and that is what we have in Anthony Knapp.

I had a friend, his name was Rodd. He was an addict, but he was well into recovery; a couple few years at the very least. He owned two businesses, had the coolest cars, and was just a fun guy to be around. He lived a good distance away from me, and I hear one day, Rodd is in a coma. He used one time, after so many years clean. Rodd died a short time later. It shocked everyone who knew him. Drug addiction does not discriminate. You could be the High School Football star quarterback or the owner of a multi-million dollar corporation. Narcotics Anonymous has a saying, “It’ll end in one of three ways: Jails, Institutions, or Death”.

If you’d like more information on the Drug Take Back Program, go to: www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov  

And if you know someone who may need help with addiction, please call 211, or go to: www.ctna.org

(All Photo's By Brian E. Clark of The Middletown Insider)