Suffolk Police to launch pharmacy safety initiative
By Gianna Volpe
Suffolk County officials will announce this morning a three-pronged "Pharmacy Safety Initiative" designed to protect community members and pharmacy workers against robberies.
The effort comes on the heels of two recent Long Island pharmacy shootings and the announcement that a drug ten times as powerful as Vicodin could soon hit the market.
The initiative will consist of training police and pharmacy personnel, increasing the Crime Stoppers reward for pharmacy arrests, and raising community awareness of Operation Medicine Cabinet, which allows citizens to drop off unwanted and expired prescriptions at safe and secure locations, 24 hours a day.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Police Commissioner Edward Webber will announce the safety initiative this morning during a press conference at police headquarters in Yaphank.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent John Capano was shot and killed New Year's Eve by friendly fire while he, an off-duty New York police officer and a retired Nassau County Police officer were attempting to stop a robbery at Charlie's Family Pharmacy in Seaford. In June, David Laffer, 33, was arrested for the slaying of four in a Medford pharmacy. He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.
Gianna Volpe
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