Long Island Pharmacy Security Tighter Than Fort Knox
The word “fortress” is being bandied about when discussing Linden Care’s (a Syosset, New York pharmacy) latest security measures. Pharmacists in the area are looking for as much protection as possible for themselves and their employees after a series of unconnected deaths occurred when prescription drug addicts got desperate looking for their next high at local pharmacies.
Security cameras, bulletproof glass, police training and self-defense classes are the least of Linden Care’s precautions. Co-owners Marc Wiener and Jordan Fogel are looking at their protective tactics as leading the way in the future of pharmacy security standards. They would like to see all local pharmacy owners following their lead in the near future to ensure no more tragedies occur at the hands of prescription pill addicts.
A New Benchmark in Pharmacy Security Measures?
Linden Care has a maze of computerized pill counting machines to guarantee no medications are left unaccounted. However, before someone is even allowed in the store’s waiting room there are a series of safety hoops they must jump through. When a customer enters from the outside, they first step into a small foyer where an employee looks at the individual and decides if they are going to allow them to enter into the pharmacy. If they are allowed into the inner door, the customer next must pass by a security guard who is in possession of a Glock 9 handgun and watches customers as they wait for their prescriptions to be filled.
Once inside, there is nothing else to buy such a lottery tickets, candy, gum or beauty products. The owners did not want anyone to have any excuse to be walking around the store casually, with the ability to take notes for future robbery attempts. Customers are also asked to provide identification, generally by using a driver’s license to make certain the person receiving the prescription drugs is the individual to whom the doctor gave the prescription.
Extreme Pharmacy Safety Precautions Are in Their Infancy
Violence from desperate prescription drug addicts is a relatively new phenomenon in the last few years as we’ve seen a rise in abuse on a mass scale. Pharmacy owners are just in the beginning stages of understanding how to best protect employees and customers. In fact, the Nassau County Police Department is starting to utilize their counterterrorism teams in order to provide pharmacy owners with assessments on the dangers their stores pose and the knowledge of how best to rectify possible safety breaches.
What do you think of the lengths pharmacy owners feel they must go to in order to ensure safety for employees and customers? Do you think the precautions noted above are too extreme or completely justified? We’d like to hear your thoughts below.