Newly elected Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Acting Suffolk County Police Commissioner Edward Webber held a press conference on Jan. 9 at Police Headquarters in Yaphank to announce a new public service safety program focusing on the recent spate of robberies at local pharmacies.
The SCPD’s 'three-pronged' Pharmacy Safety Initiative was launched in an effort to protect members of our community and pharmacy personnel against potential robberies. Additionally, the program focuses on training law enforcement and pharmacy employees to help decrease robberies, illegal drug use and abuse.
The three-pronged approach consists of the following (continued below):
- Training of police and pharmacy personnel
- Increased Crime Stoppers reward for pharmacy robbery arrests
- Raising Community Awareness of Operation Medicine Cabinet
The most notable pharmacy robberies in 2011 were perpetrated by suspects trying to obtain prescription drugs. Two customers and two employees lost their lives during the Father's Day robbery of Haven Drugs in Medford. Another fatal incident occurred on New Year's Eve when ATF agent John Capano was killed trying to stop another pharmacy robbery.A growing trend of criminal activities involving prescription drugs put everyone in our community in danger, as those committing the crimes seem to come from all demographics and all walks of life.
Addiction and desperation know no boundaries.
Source: Suffolk County Police Department/SCPD
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