NORWICH – This Saturday the Norwich City Police and Sheriff’s Office will be participating in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) national “Take Back” drug collection program.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Norwich Police Station or from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sheriff’s Office, officers will accept prescription drugs and other substances, no questions asked.

The Sheriff’s Office will also be operating a collection site with the Greene Police Department at the same time, from the station at 29 North Chenango St. in the Village of Greene.

The DEA offers this opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs, explained Police Chief Joseph Angelino.

“We conducted this same event in September 2010 and it was an overwhelming success,” said Angelino.

The Norwich Police collected three 35-gallon containers and two garbage bags full of prescription drugs, weighing about 120 pounds, last September as part of the first “Take Back” initiative.

“We ran out of boxes and had to fill garbage bags,” added Norwich Detective Michael Purdy.

Sheriff Ernest R. Cutting said his office is implementing a year-round prescription drug take back program.

“The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office is now certified by the U.S. DEA to accept out of date or no longer needed prescription drugs,” he said.