South Buffalo Township institutes secure boxes for medication drop-offs

South Buffalo Township Police Department has installed secure boxes for dropping off unwanted medication.

There are two boxes — one located at the South Buffalo Township Municipal Building and the other at the Cadogan Township building, where the police department has a substation.

“It’s a no-questions-asked means for people to dispose of unwanted, outdated or expired over-the-counter medication or prescription medication,” South Buffalo Police Chief Jeff Kuntz said. “This is to keep it from being flushed and enter our waterways or being left in the house where children can get it.”

The boxes are not meant for needles, liquids or illegal narcotics, Kuntz said. Police have other means of disposing of those substances.

At the South Buffalo Township building, people can drop off unwanted drugs during normal business hours Monday through Friday. Doors are currently locked due to covid-19, but people can ring the buzzer to enter.

In Cadogan Township, people can call to request access to the building at any time, Kuntz said.

The boxes were provided by the American Security Cabinet Co. and funding through the Rite Aid Foundation’s KidCents program, Kuntz said. American Security Cabinets even provided artwork for the boxes, which are decorated with the department’s logo. The boxes were purchased, decorated and delivered at no charge to the police department.

“If I had to put a value on everything, I would say it would be over $1,000 per box,” Kuntz said.

Both boxes were delivered and installed early this month.

They haven’t gotten much use yet, Kuntz said, but he’s hopeful that once the community is aware of the program, they’ll utilize it.

“Everybody has that medication cabinet or kitchen cupboard that needs cleaned out. It’s a good, safe means to get rid of things that you don’t need laying around your house, especially if you have children around the house,” Kuntz said.

People often call to inquire about how to safely get rid of medications they discover when cleaning out homes after deaths or while moving, Kuntz said. This is a solution for those scenarios, too.

In addition to the new secure drop-off boxes, the South Buffalo Township Police Department has another new addition — a 2020 Ford F-150 Police Responder that hit the road for the first time Wednesday.

“It’s equipped and fully marked,” Kuntz said.

The police department ordered it about a year ago, expecting it to be ready to go within six months. Covid-19 delayed the delivery, but it’s now fully operational and on the road, Kuntz said.