Watch out for needles as snow melts, warns member of Brandon patrol group that has picked up dozens downtown
Those who walk through downtown Brandon with the city's Bear Clan Patrol say they've picked up dozens of needles and syringes in less than a year. Now that the snow has almost melted, the group is renewing warnings to watch out when doing spring yard work or playing outside.
"I know it's more than just a downtown issue," said Kim Longstreet, a local advocate for those battling methamphetamine addiction in Brandon. She has also patrolled with the Bear Clan since its inception last June.
"It's a problem all the way through the community."
Longstreet said members of the twice-weekly patrol group have picked up more than 70 needles in downtown Brandon alone since last June. The group is equipped to pick up and properly dispose of used needles and syringes they find while out on patrol.
While she doesn't want to stoke fear in Brandon, Longstreet said she is concerned that homeowners could come across needles in the grass while doing yard work or that kids could come into contact with them while playing outside.
"Sadly, this is the community we have now," she said. "Gone are the days of a community where we could run around in parks with our shoes off. We now have a community where we as people, as citizens, parents, have to be aware and concerned."
According to Brandon police, officers are also equipped to handle sharp objects like needles but don't have to very often.
"Fortunately this does not occur very often but occasionally we do receive reports that someone has come across a discarded needle," police spokesperson Sgt. Dave Andrew told CBC News on Wednesday.
"If a child locates a needle, we advise to not touch it and to notify an adult immediately."
He said each police vehicle is also equipped with a sharps container, but officers may not always be able to come and pick up a needle as quickly as someone would like.
"If someone is not comfortable handling a found needle, they can contact BPS.… However, depending on priority calls for service there could potentially be a wait for an officer to attend," Andrew said.
He said those who find needles or syringes should wear gloves and, if possible, pick up the needle with a set of tongs or pliers and put it tip down into a sealed container, and either take it to the police station, hospital or the Seventh Street Health Access Centre in Brandon.
Regardless of how they're found or disposed of, Longstreet said she just wants people in all corners of the city to be aware and know what to do.
"Only as a community are we going to make this issue go away."
