Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott releases Operation “Take Back Medications” – a focus on the health and welfare of our citizens.

Sheriff Leon Lott unveiled Operation “Take Back Medications” as an innovative way for citizens and law enforcement to focus on the proper disposal of prescriptions medications.  Because prescription bottles contain personal information and contain controlled substances all citizens need to be proactive about proper disposal. Sheriff Lott stated that criminals can: 1) take citizens personal information off the improperly disposed of pill bottles 2) can sell or use the narcotics. 

Operation “Take Back Medications” will protect the environment by reducing pollutants, will protect citizens' identities and assist in the prevention of controlled substances getting into the wrong hands. Proper disposal of unwanted and expired medications is an additional step in our citizens helping to prevent crime. Sheriff Lott is asking all citizens to protect personal information, because in the wrong hands this data can be harmful to the person for whom the prescription was written. Sheriff Lott is asking all citizens to assist in the prevention of unauthorized users or drug abusers of prescriptions -- Each year countless numbers of our children are victims of poisoning or even death due to prescription medications being improperly disposed of or carelessly left within their reach.

Deputies with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department's Project Hope Program will assist citizens in the safe disposal of left over or expired prescription medications by providing (5) five locations for residents to drop off unwanted and expired medications.

Mondays and Wednesdays 9:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.

1. Region 1,  2615 – B Lower Richland Blvd., Columbia, SC 29061 - (803) 576-1470

2. Region 2,  7201 Two Notch Road, Columbia, SC 29223 - (803) 788-1667

3. Region 3,  6429 Bishop Avenue, Columbia, SC 29203 - (803) 576-2215

4. Region 4,  1019 Beatty Road, Columbia, SC 29210 - (803) 576-1455

5. Region 6,  96 Lake Carolina Boulevard, Columbia, SC 29229 - (803) 865-8011            

Deputies from Project Hope will pick-up disposed medications from the lock boxes at the designated locations, complete an incident/evidence report and transport the medication to the Department’s evidence room for proper disposal. Sheriff Lott concluded that anyone interested in having FREE safety classes, on any topic, can contact the Community Action Team at 576-3118 or Project HOPE at 576-3483 – also crime prevention information is available for FREE on our website www.rcsd.net.

April 09, 2008