Pharmacy Security Summit Attracts Hundreds In Nassau County

Pharmacy Security Summit – Bethpage, NY – Feb 7, 2012 (credit: Mike Xirinachs / WCBS 880)

BETHPAGE, NY (CBSNewYork) - After the massacre at a pharmacy in Medford, robberies, and concerns of prescription drug abuse, hundreds gathered in Bethpage on Tuesday to discuss pharmacy security.

WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs On The Story

Sixteen security cameras and a police cruiser are part of Long Island drug store owner Douglas DeNardo’s safety plan.

“I have a pharmacy in a small village where they have their own police department. So, I have a police car parked in front of my store from opening till close,” he told WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs.

He said the bottom line is the safety of his employees and customers, but he knows the cameras and police aren’t the real answers to the problem.

Pharmacy Security Summit - Bethpage, NY - Feb 7, 2012 (credit: Mike Xirinachs / WCBS 880)

“You have to get people rehabilitated before anything is going to happen, because if you stop the supply of these drugs, it’s going to get worse because then they’re going to get desperate, and then they’re going to come and rob you,” said DeNardo.

“None of it is easy. There’s no easy answer here. I think everyone coming together and trying to find a layer of plans, I think, is the best way to do it,” said Rep. Peter King.

These pharmacists learned new safety measures to deal with the robberies, the killings, and the new epidemic.

“I’ve been in this business for 40 years. I never thought it would come to something like this,” said DeNardo.

If you have a problem with drugs, you can contact Narcotics Anonymous in Nassau County at 516-827-9500 or visit http://www.nassauna.org. Meetings are available seven days a week.

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Pharmacy Security Summit Attracts Hundreds In Nassau County