By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg police officers have picked up 41 discarded needles since the first of the year, that’s up from 17 the same time last year.

Police Chief Andrew Kennedy said there is no question that heroin use is a growing problem in the city of Ogdensburg.

His comments piggybacked on those from a concerned citizen, Elizabeth Marshall, who spoke to city council about the growing problem Monday.

Marshall said she and other parents want to address the problem and raise awareness about the issue. She said she wants people to know what to do when they spot a needle, which is call the Ogdensburg Police Department.

Marshall said her and other parents would be willing to take training necessary to do perform needle sweeps to ensure kids are stuck with discarded needles.

Chief Kennedy said his department takes the issue very seriously and has an average response time of nine minutes when some reports finding a needle. However, sometimes due to the high volume of incidents police simply can’t get there immediately. To address that issue Kennedy has asked the Ogdensburg Fire Department to assist with disposals, and the FD agreed to help.

Kennedy said this partnership should make the response time even better.

He has also spoken with the department’s DARE officer, with hopes of educating students about what do when they fine a needle and the dangerous of touching one.

Marshall said she would like to see a needle exchange program in Ogdensburg to help keep the needles off the street. She noted that there is a peer-to-peer exchange being ran out of Canton through Syracuse-based ACR Health, but said she would like to see the local hospital offer something similar.

“The goal is to clean up the streets,” she said.

Kennedy encouraged residents to call police and noted that they shouldn’t be afraid to do so.

Ogdensburg Police Department can be reached at 393-1555.

Anyone who wants to enroll in the peer-delivered needle program can contact ACR Health at (315) 475-2430.

ACR Health receives a large portion of its funding from New York state and Medicaid. They also receive donations and draw money from fundraisers, according to financial records posted on their website.