Collection Yields 69 Pounds of Drugs

The Caldwell Police Department collected nearly 70 pounds of medication during the recent Operation Take Back New Jersey, Chief James Bongiorno said Monday. 

Bongiorno called the collection a success and said his goal is to make Caldwell a permanent drop-off site for unwanted and expired drugs.

A total of 69 pounds were dropped off by local residents, including many senior citizens, during the four-hour collection Saturday. The drugs were turned over to the New Jersey Drug Enforcement Administration, Bongiorno said.

The chief is working to have a permanent drop box installed in the lobby of police headquarters at 1 Provost Square with a 24-hour security camera. The closest permanent drop box is located in North Caldwell.

The mission of Operation Take Back is to keep drugs out of the wrong hands, particularly children, in order to curb prescription drug abuse. The program also benefits the environment by preventing medications from ending up in our water.