Drop-box supporters slam police chief

As published in the Record Journal on Friday March 15, 2013

By Andrew Ragali
Record-Journal staff
aragali@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2224
Twitter:@AndyRagz

WALLINGFORD – Supporters of a drop box for unused medications at the Police Department are criticizing Police Chief Douglas Dortenzio’s position that it’s up to residents to take personal responsibility and dispose of medications on their own.

A founding member of the Coalition for a Better Wallingford, Ken Welch, has advocated for the drop box as a way to counter prescription drug abuse.

Dortenzio said on Wednesday that the safest way to dispose of a medication is to put it out with the trash.

“I can’t be a substitute for responsible citizens,” he said.

Welch responded with harsh words Thursday, saying “I can’t believe this guy is a police chief.”

Welch disagreed with Dortenzio’s statement that personal responsibility is the key to disposing of unwanted prescription drugs.

“That comment blows my mind,” Welch said. “His value system is affecting his job.”

Dortenzio said Thursday that he didn’t want to get into a war of words.

“I’m not going to get into a mudslinging contest,” he said.

Dortenzio said the department supports disposal of unwanted medication, though not the drop box.

“A $1,000 trash can is a poor substitute for personal responsibility,” he said.

Welch had many criticisms of Dortenzio’s position, including the assertion that the police station lobby is too small for a drop box and would present handicapped-access issues.

The state Department of Consumer Protection, which oversees the medication drop box program, requires the box to be located in the lobby of any police station that participates. Welch said that lobby is not wheelchair accessible to begin with because there are stairs in the lobby. There is an elevator, which provides access to the lobby.

Dortenzio also said that parking would be an issue. The department’s lot is small, and people looking to drop off medications might have a hard time finding parking, Dortenzio said Wednesday.

“What, are 30 people going to show up at the same time?” Welch said.

Welch said that the only issue Dortenzio could possibly have with the medication drop box is the time police officers must take to empty and document the medication inside the box.

“Mr. Welch’s point about labor being involved is dead on,” Dortenzio said.

In a nearby town

Southington, with a population similar to Wallingford’s, adopted a medication drop box program in December. Since then, about 400 pounds of medication have been secured. Southington Police Sgt. Jeff Dobratz said that the box is typically emptied once a week.

Department of Consumer Protection procedures call for medication to be collected based on usage and that the boxes be checked weekly.

After medication is collected from the box, Dobratz said, it’s weighed, sealed and stored in the evidence room until “every so often we dispose of it.”

A case report must be filed every time the box is emptied. Dobratz said that the department has created a “generic boilerplate report,” in which the officer only has to enter the date, time and weight.

In all, the entire process of clearing out the box and filing a report takes about 15 minutes, Dobratz said.

Dortenzio said the staffing at the Police Department has shrunk significantly in the past two decades. He said having to devote staff to the medication drop box wouldn’t be wise.

“As a manager, I have to keep an eye on these things,” he said.

Dortenzio’s position also came under fire from members of the Town Council.

“The bottom line is, the chief of police is a personal disappointment to me in that he won’t do something that is easy,” said Town Councilor Nick Economopoulos. “I’m sure he’s going to come up with a 100 different reasons why it’s difficult.”

A majority of the council supports the medication drop box. Councilors made that clear during a meeting Tuesday when Welch brought up the issue. It was tabled so councilors could obtain more information.

“I disagree wholeheartedly with the mayor and police chief,” said Town Councilor John LeTourneau, who added that he doesn’t understand why other towns can successfully employ the drop box but Wallingford can’t.

Democratic Town Councilor Jason Zandri, who is running for mayor, potentially against longtime incumbent Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr., said a medication drop box “is a very simple thing to have.”

“I can’t imagine why we can’t do this,” he said.

Zandri said he’s looking into a way of working around the mayor’s decision-making power on the issue. Dickinson supports Dortenzio’s position.

The council can pass a resolution to make the drop box mandatory by creating an ordinance. According to the Town Charter, seven of nine council votes can override the mayor if he disapproves of a council passed ordinance.

Zandri said getting the seven affirmative votes would be an issue, though.

The mayor’s view

On Thursday, Dickinson stood behind Dortenzio.

“He’s the one who knows the way the department functions,” said Dickinson, who added that there should be “respect for the chief ’s decision.”

“If he feels it will absorb more time and effort than justifiable,” the drop box is unnecessary, Dickinson said.

Dickinson said that concentrating on the medication drop box as the town’s only answer to drug abuse issues isn’t wise.

“It’s one of the things that can be done, but it’s hardly the program,” he said. “This isn’t the only way to deal with things.”

While there may be other answers to drug abuse problems, like Dickinson’s suggestion of expanding the drug take-back program the Police Department takes part in twice yearly, it’s the lack of support from Dortenzio which angers Welch the most.

“His whole mission statement is based on getting the public to support him, but when the public needs support, they’re on their own,” Welch said.

“That’s not going to fly.”