Morris County Cops Take 631 Pounds Of Surrendered Medications

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ - The first operation Take Back of 2021 was held throughout Morris County last Saturday and it brought in 631 pounds of surrendered medications, according to officials.

The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office participated in Operation Take Back in partnership with four local police departments. Acting Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, Chief of Detectives Chris Kimker, Hanover Township Chief of Police Mark D. Roddy, Morris Plains Borough Chief of Police Mike Koroski, Morris Township Chief of Police Mark DiCarlo, and Randolph Township Chief of Police David Stokoe all aided in the coordination of the April 24 event.

“Year after year, Operation Take Back in Morris County has consistently yielded hundreds of pounds of expired and unused medications, demonstrating how much the community relies on this service," Gannon and Carroll said in a statement. "Our residents are active participants in combatting prescription drug misuse. Thank you to our law enforcement and commercial partners for making this event a success.”

Operation Take Back is a semi-annual event coordinated nationally by the United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in which law enforcement agencies at the state, county, and municipal level work collectively to host Operation Take Back across the nation. The goal is to encourage the public to anonymously turn over unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medicine for proper disposal.

Residents of Morris County were able to bring unused or expired prescription drugs to three designated locations - Shoprite of Greater Morristown in Hanover Township, the ACME Supermarket in Randolph, and the Stop and Shop Supermarket in Morris Plains. All drugs collected at the sites were weighed and properly destroyed by law enforcement officials.

The total weight in drugs collected from each location are as follows:

• Shoprite of Greater Morristown: 176 pounds
• Stop and Shop of Morris Plains: 68 pounds
• ACME of Randolph: 387 pounds
• Total: 631 pounds

In 2020, the Operation Take Back collection held October in Morris County locations yielded a combined 502 pounds.

Those unable drop off medication during Operation Take Back, can still utilize any other permanent drop box locations nearest, which are listed online.

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