OACP Supports Pharmacy Safety

The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) has been working with pharmacy organizations in Ontario, including the Ontario College of Pharmacists, to promote the safety of pharmacies, pharmacy workers, and clients. That’s why the OACP is supporting efforts by the College to have community pharmacies post prominent signage indicating the use of a time-delayed safe to secure narcotics, marking an important milestone in a province-wide mandate launched earlier this year to help deter pharmacy robberies.

In March, the College’s Board of Directors unanimously approved updated policies requiring all community pharmacies to install a time-delayed safe to secure narcotics. The College’s Board Chair, James Morrison, reported that the Board carefully considered the benefits of time-delayed safes, together with the associated signage, and determined that requiring their use was an important step to help protect pharmacy staff, patients, and the communities they serve.

OACP President, Chief Jim MacSween, contributed to a media release by the College of Pharmacists by saying that, “Police services across Ontario support the Ontario College of Pharmacists’ decision to mandate time-delayed safes in pharmacies. Criminals rely on getting in and out of pharmacies quickly when they commit robberies to steal narcotics. Mandating these safes and the signage indicating their use acts as a robbery deterrent, improves overall safety, and prevents stolen narcotics from fueling Ontario’s opioid crisis.”