For those who have unwanted or unused prescription drugs they would like to dispose of, the Oxford Police Department will take them off their hands this weekend.

On Saturday, the 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the OPD station. National Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs while educating the public about potential abuse of medications.

“The goal is to keep it out of the hands of an individual who doesn’t need it,” said OPD chief Jeff McCutchen. “It’s a safe way of disposal for the environment, but it also keeps them from being resold in the streets or taken by our team. It’s just a good way for us to be able to help the community and give them a safe place to dispose it.”

The Oxford Police Department partners with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in hosting the event. This is the fourth year OPD has hosted an Drug Take Back Day event.

During the event last October, there were 882,919 pounds, or 441.5 tons, of prescription drugs turned in across the nation. Nearly 4,900 law enforcement agencies participated and 54 of them were in Mississippi.

McCutchen said they have seen a slow increase in participation each year, but wanted to remind Oxford and Lafayette County residents that they have a year-round prescription drug collection box at the station.

“When we advertise it, we’ll see an uptick, and on scheduled events such as this we’ll have a great turnout,” McCutchen said. “The thing we want the community to know is it’s always here. You don’t have to just wait for Saturday to come along. Our doors are open 24 hours a day; you can come in and dispose any of those drugs.”

The Oxford Police Department is located at 715 Molly Barr Road.