'Operation Medicine Cabinet' at East Rockaway High School

The East Rockaway Coalition for Youth’s first initiative took place on June 10 — but not without a good deal of cooperation and support from many people.

Initially, Cindy Lark, staffer for County Legislator Howard J. Kopel, reached out to the Village of East Rockaway and the Coalition to confirm their interest and began to put the pieces together at the county level with the NCPD and the County Legislature. County Legislator Francis X. Becker and Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony Santino pitched in. Nassau County Police Commissioner Lawrence W. Mulvey sanctioned both events and agreed to provide the necessary resources.

East Rockaway Village Mayor Ed Sieban and Deputy Mayor Richard Meagher were enthusiastic supporters. The high school’s PTA agreed to cosponsor it, thereby enabling Superintendent Roseanne Melucci to authorize the space for the event.

Participants came to East Rockaway High School from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 16 and proceeded to the auditorium. Those who had pharmaceuticals to drop off did so at the entrance. Some people came just to do that. Others then went in the auditorium, where they were welcomed by Kopel, Sieban, and Mulvey, who introduced Deputy Commissioner William G. Flanagan — who gave a power-point presentation with a direct and no-nonsense speaking style to deliver his message.

Flanagan described leaving prescription drugs in a bathroom medicine cabinet as akin to leaving a loaded gun there. “It’s just as dangerous,” he said. “Bathroom medicine cabinets may not just be emptied by your kids or grandkids, but by their friends or casual acquaintances,” he added.

Turning to the heroin epidemic and Nassau County’s three-pronged proactive approach — Enforcement, Parental Awareness and Education — Flanagan cautioned “You can’t arrest your way out of a heroin problem. Education is less expensive and more effective.”