For several years, the Porter County Substance Abuse Council has tried to start a medication drop-off program in Porter County. The program would consist of designated places around the county where people can drop off any perscription medications they do not use anymore for proper disposal. For awhile, several local drug stores were acting as drop-off sites but the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) felt these sites needed an officer of the law present to ensure proper disposal of the medications. 
Valparaiso Police Chief Mike Brickner sent in a proposal to the DEA for local police departments to act as 24/7 drop-off sites. The locked containers would be under video surveillance. The medications would then be taken by the hazmat department and burned. The DEA approved the proposal and the Valpo police department is moving ahead to aquire the drop-off box.
The Substance Abuse Council, which has met monthly for the past 20 years, brought all of the local police departments together to discuss this program. Portage, Chesterton, and Hebron police departments are all moving ahead to implement drop-off programs at their locations as well. For more information on the program, contact director Sharon Cawood at the Porter County Substance Abuse Council at 219.462.0946.