(FORT FRANCES, ON) On June 19, 2020, officers of the Fort Frances Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were called to the report of a suspicious male person at the 300 block of Scott Street in Fort Frances, ON. The male was quickly located in a back alley of the same block acting erratically.
Upon arrival, officers observed the male discard an uncapped used syringe needle onto the ground. A 29 year old Fort Frances male was charged with disposing of needle in public place contrary to Section 4(2) of the Safe Streets Act.
Prior to departure, officers ensured the needle was safety disposed and no other needles were observed in the area.
If a needle is found, there is no need to panic. The public is reminded the Northwestern Health Unit has resources available including safety guidelines explaining how to safely pick up and discard needles.
Please check out:
https://www.nwhu.on.ca/ourservices/DrugAndAlcoholUse/Pages/SafeNeedleDisposal.aspx
If you are unsure or uncomfortable with picking up a needle, call the local health unit at 1-800-468-7109 or the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 for assistance.
