Prescription drugs that are expired or no longer needed can be given over to Clanton police officers Saturday.

The department is again participating in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Prescription Drug Take Back Program. This year’s event will be held Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Goosepond Park’s parking lot.

CPD narcotics detectives will take all expired, unused or simply not needed or wanted prescription drugs no questions asked, Chief Brian Stilwell said.

“The reason for the program is to get unused prescription drugs off the street in order to keep them out of the wrong hands,” Stilwell said. “We are finding prescription drug abuse on the rise in Clanton.”

All medicine given to officers will be picked up by DEA and disposed of properly, Stilwell said.

“This is a safe way to have these medicines destroyed,” Stilwell said.

Beside ending up on the streets, prescription drugs can also be accidentally ingested by kids and pets. Unwanted medicine should not be flushed down the toilet, where it could potentially have an environmental impact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns.

For more information, contact CPD detectives at (205) 755-1194, ext. 319, or go online to dea.gov. Goosepond Park is located off U.S. 31.