Drugs and substance abuse

The PCSP works closely with the PSNI regards the monitoring and reduction of criminality related to alcohol and substance abuse in the Borough. 

PCSP staff also engaged with the South Eastern Drugs and Alcohol Coordination Team (SEDACT) to support a range of important interventions to reduce the level of drug related criminality in the Borough. PCSP annually commissions tier 2 drug intervention programmes working with teenagers and adults. It also supports community RAPID drug bins for the disposal of prescription medication in RAPID bins in the Borough (Springhill Shopping Centre, Kilcooley Community Centre and Kilcooley Community Forum in Bangor), one in Holywood (Redburn Loughview Community Forum) and one in Newtownards (Ards Community Network).

Latest News: 9 February 2021

New RAPID Drugs Disposal Bin Installed in Portaferry

A new drug disposal bin has been installed at Eurospar, Portaferry, as part of a joint initiative to help remove prescription and illegal drugs from our streets.

The ‘Remove All Prescription and Illegal Drugs’ (RAPID) scheme is a joint initiative between Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Policing and Safety Community Partnership (PCSP), the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Public Health Agency.

The bin is located inside the shop and enables the safe and anonymous removal of illegal and prescription drugs.

The Chair of Ards and North Down PCSP, Councillor Nick Mathison, said:

“RAPID bins can help to protect people from the harm caused by the misuse of prescription drugs and illegal drugs. This confidential service can enable people to protect themselves and their families from this harm so I’m delighted to see a new bin being installed near the tip of the Ards Peninsula in Portaferry.”

The new installation brings the total number of RAPID bins in the Borough to six, with three other bins located in Bangor (Springhill Shopping Centre, Kilcooley Community Centre and Kilcooley Community Forum), one in Holywood (Redburn Loughview Community Forum) and one in Newtownards (Ards Community Network).

Since 2010, over 100,000 tablets have been deposited in Belfast RAPID bins alone, and in the past year, almost 18,000 items have been collected from bins within Ards and North Down, including an amount of cocaine. The bins are emptied on a regular basis and their contents are stored at a local police station until it can be destroyed.

/Ends.