U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Gil Kerlikowske, and New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Regional Director Chauncey Parker today announced a first-of-its-kind database of prescription drug related crimes in New York. Last year, in the wake of a deadly drug store robbery on Long Island in which an off-duty Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent was shot and killed, Schumer urged the Drug Enforcement Administration to create such a comprehensive database in conjunction with local law enforcement. They agreed, and the database will be used to determine trends and patterns of prescription drug related crimes in the region, and will be a tool in fighting this deadly epidemic. Schumer said the data provided by this database will allow law enforcement officials to target resources to high crime areas, determine which prescription drugs are the most sought after, and determine necessary security changes in drug distribution networks. It will be available to local police departments, HIDTA Drug Intelligence Officials, and DEA officials, and will help bridge the information barrier that sometimes exists between law enforcement officials on various levels.
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