L&M Publications
Merrick Life • Bellmore Life • Freeport-Baldwin Leader • Wantagh-Seaford Citizen

In the wake of the New Year’s Eve robbery of Charlie’s Family Pharmacy in Seaford, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer called for new approaches to protect local drug stores from pharma theft.  Many of  these robberies are due to the increased use of illegally obtained prescription pain killers like Oxycontin. 
   
“Pharmacies are now a target,” said Senator Schumer at a press conference held at the Nassau County Police Intelligence Center in Massapequa on Wednesday, January 4. “Over the past three years, at least 1,800 pharmacy robberies have occurred across the country. It seems that a fortune can be made in [illegally] selling prescription drugs. We must fight back with every resource we have to prevent further tragedy.”
   
Senator Schumer is calling for a three-pronged approach that includes beefing up security at pharmacies, providing  local access to U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency data on pharma theft to help local police deter crime and putting in place tougher penalties on law breakers.
   
“There are protocols for pharmacies that could help decrease robberies,” said Senator Schumer, who pointed to a program in Washington State that has helped cut pharma thefts in half since 2008. “Bullet-proof glass, timed safes, staggering supplies and silent alarms can serve as deterrents,” said Senator Schumer.
   
“I was very surprised to learn that local and state law enforcement [officers] do not currently have access to a comprehensive database that catalogues the theft of controlled substances. This information must be reported to the DEA but is not easily accessible by other law enforcement.
   
“The New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program seems to be well placed to assist in the creation of such a database for the New York metropolitan region. This could focus law enforcement efforts on hot spots where the greatest theft is occurring and could lead to further investigation by the community into the underlying reasons for the prescription drug abuse,” explained Senator Schumer.
   
Senator Schumer is pressing for passage of his bill that would direct the United States Sentencing Commission to expand sentencing for pharma robberies and increase penalties up to 20 years in prison.
   
County Executive Edward Mangano who was also at the press conference, commended Senator Schumer’s efforts. “We need these federal resources to help us. In sharing this information we will be able to prevent needless deaths,” said County Executive Mangano. “In 2010, 75 Nassau residents died as a result of prescription opiates – that’s an average of more than one a week,” said Mr.  Mangano.

By Laura Schofer

Laura Schofer, staff writer for L&M Publications, has been recognized with several awards for many of her feature pieces published in Bellmore and Merrick Life, The Citizen and The Leader.