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Needle on the ground, what should you do?
Walking home from lunch today I noticed a used needle on the ground. It even appeared to still have something in it. What should I have done?
Picked it up and thrown it away? The nearest place would have been quite a ways.
Call the cops? It did appear to contain some kind of drug.
Ignore it?
Picked it up and thrown it away? The nearest place would have been quite a ways.
Call the cops? It did appear to contain some kind of drug.
Ignore it?
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Don't ignore it. It could be dangerous to anyone who accidentally steps on it. It may be infected with HIV or a host of other nasty diseases.
I wouldn't really worry about a needle on the ground as evidence to a crime. Rather, I would consider it a health risk and treat it like one.
You should call the police or local Public Health Services or a similar agency.
However, if you must do it yourself,
1) Find a suitable container, something of hard plastic or at least that the needle can't poke through.
2) Take the container to the syringe or needle
3) Handle the syringe carefully avoiding the needle, ideally with tongs, tweezers or heavy duty gloves.
4) Put the sharp end into the container first
5) Afterwards wash your hands thoroughly
6) Put the container in with your outdoor garbage
I wouldn't really worry about a needle on the ground as evidence to a crime. Rather, I would consider it a health risk and treat it like one.
You should call the police or local Public Health Services or a similar agency.
However, if you must do it yourself,
1) Find a suitable container, something of hard plastic or at least that the needle can't poke through.
2) Take the container to the syringe or needle
3) Handle the syringe carefully avoiding the needle, ideally with tongs, tweezers or heavy duty gloves.
4) Put the sharp end into the container first
5) Afterwards wash your hands thoroughly
6) Put the container in with your outdoor garbage
source(s):
http://www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/health-and-social-care/health-...
http://www.aidssaskatoon.ca/Find_A_Needle.pdf
http://www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/health-and-social-care/health-...
http://www.aidssaskatoon.ca/Find_A_Needle.pdf
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Great answer.
I would've
a) ignored it to CYA
EDIT *
~ took out the "throw it away" idea. There is just too much risk involved, unless you want to be selfless, knowing another person or animal is in immediate danger; if there were a trashcan 10 feet away and you had some sort of napkin, I can see throwing it away.
The problem is, accidents happen; this could have ANYTHING in it. You could accidentally stab yourself as you try to dispose of it, or you may accidentally brush your hand on it (who carries around gloves?) and catch God-knows-what. I am going to say the realist decision is to ignore it.
As far as calling the police, well, my two best friends died of heroin overdoses, and I even drove the police to the place they got it. They didn't even seem to care when I delivered them a drug dealer on a silver platter, which I did at personal risk. The "boys down at the lab" probably aren't going to do anything about a random sirynge. "They've got us workin' in shifts!!!"
Who knows, it could've belonged to an irresponsible owner of a diabetic cat.
*EDIT 2
If you choose, you could involve police if you feel this is the responsible decision, but know that you are now going to probably be asked to stay there and answer questions, and for a non-emergency, they aren't exactly going to be rushing to meet you, or to let you go.
My experience when reporting this type of thing to the police is that I have been treated with disrespect and like a suspect. I used to do tech support for lawyers and was given the advice to "never contact the police for any reason unless your life or the life of a loved one is in danger, for your own protection." This is pretty cynical, but there is truth to it, if you value your livelihood over a stranger's.
a) ignored it to CYA
EDIT *
~ took out the "throw it away" idea. There is just too much risk involved, unless you want to be selfless, knowing another person or animal is in immediate danger; if there were a trashcan 10 feet away and you had some sort of napkin, I can see throwing it away.
The problem is, accidents happen; this could have ANYTHING in it. You could accidentally stab yourself as you try to dispose of it, or you may accidentally brush your hand on it (who carries around gloves?) and catch God-knows-what. I am going to say the realist decision is to ignore it.
As far as calling the police, well, my two best friends died of heroin overdoses, and I even drove the police to the place they got it. They didn't even seem to care when I delivered them a drug dealer on a silver platter, which I did at personal risk. The "boys down at the lab" probably aren't going to do anything about a random sirynge. "They've got us workin' in shifts!!!"
Who knows, it could've belonged to an irresponsible owner of a diabetic cat.
*EDIT 2
If you choose, you could involve police if you feel this is the responsible decision, but know that you are now going to probably be asked to stay there and answer questions, and for a non-emergency, they aren't exactly going to be rushing to meet you, or to let you go.
My experience when reporting this type of thing to the police is that I have been treated with disrespect and like a suspect. I used to do tech support for lawyers and was given the advice to "never contact the police for any reason unless your life or the life of a loved one is in danger, for your own protection." This is pretty cynical, but there is truth to it, if you value your livelihood over a stranger's.
voted helpful: interzone
I think maybe call the police (but not 911) just to report the potential public hazard.
I don't think I would have picked it up either, but if I had the right equipment I would have wanted to get it safely out of the area.
Good question.
I don't think I would have picked it up either, but if I had the right equipment I would have wanted to get it safely out of the area.
Good question.
I probably would have grabbed a piece of trash laying around and carried it until I could throw it away, but then I have kids.
I would not have reported it to the police, but I wouldn't sneer at anyone who did.
That's just me.
I would not have reported it to the police, but I wouldn't sneer at anyone who did.
That's just me.
voted helpful: interzone
When you see a used needle - it is best to not touch it, for you don't know what it was used for, where and by who.
However, it is important to have given this into the cops. Why? Where it was used for could be used as evidence for a crime. If not collecting this evidence, then it could get lost - someone could throw it away. Then the crime would be hard to solve as there is no DNA etc.
Let us take an example. If there was someone who had been shot and you are walking near this area where the person has been shot and on the ground you see a gun. Would you just leave the gun there? Of course not. You would pick it up and give it into the cops - whatever the reason is. Whether its for the crime or just to hand the gun so that the community you live in will be safe from weapons like this.
Therefore, you should do the same for this. If it seemed like it contained a drug - then it could have been extremely helpful to the cops for they would have evidence to trace a possible drug user or drug dealer and be able to charge them.
If you can pick it up now, I would advise you to. Wear gloves so that your hands will be protected by anything that may be on the needle - and therefore you will not have any problems with someone charging you - as you have no evidence on the needle - as well as anything on the needle. You never know where the needle could have been.
If you feel like you don't want to go to the police and cause that hassle - then throw it away. That will help the community safe from someone else using that needle.
However, it is important to have given this into the cops. Why? Where it was used for could be used as evidence for a crime. If not collecting this evidence, then it could get lost - someone could throw it away. Then the crime would be hard to solve as there is no DNA etc.
Let us take an example. If there was someone who had been shot and you are walking near this area where the person has been shot and on the ground you see a gun. Would you just leave the gun there? Of course not. You would pick it up and give it into the cops - whatever the reason is. Whether its for the crime or just to hand the gun so that the community you live in will be safe from weapons like this.
Therefore, you should do the same for this. If it seemed like it contained a drug - then it could have been extremely helpful to the cops for they would have evidence to trace a possible drug user or drug dealer and be able to charge them.
If you can pick it up now, I would advise you to. Wear gloves so that your hands will be protected by anything that may be on the needle - and therefore you will not have any problems with someone charging you - as you have no evidence on the needle - as well as anything on the needle. You never know where the needle could have been.
If you feel like you don't want to go to the police and cause that hassle - then throw it away. That will help the community safe from someone else using that needle.
voted helpful: interzone
Word of advice:
Don't touch that gun, leave it where you found it, and just call the police. You don't want your fingerprints allover the murder weapon, do you..? -- ;)
Don't touch that gun, leave it where you found it, and just call the police. You don't want your fingerprints allover the murder weapon, do you..? -- ;)
Depends on where you live. If you happen to live in Port Phillip, Australia, then they recommend you call the ASSIST Hotline at (03) 9209 6777.
If you happen to live in South Gloucestershire in the UK, they recommend you call 01454 868000 and a pickup will be arranged.
Different countries and states/provinces will have different numbers/agencies you should call. The issue is knowing who to call before you find it...impossible, unless you are psychic.
No matter where you are, it would be best to let someone know it is there. If nothing else, you could call the non-emergency number of your local police department, and notify them. They should be able to contact the proper authorities.
If you happen to live in South Gloucestershire in the UK, they recommend you call 01454 868000 and a pickup will be arranged.
Different countries and states/provinces will have different numbers/agencies you should call. The issue is knowing who to call before you find it...impossible, unless you are psychic.
No matter where you are, it would be best to let someone know it is there. If nothing else, you could call the non-emergency number of your local police department, and notify them. They should be able to contact the proper authorities.
I guess it depends on your prospective. I would have picked it up, but then I work at a hospital and the sharps disposal center is across the opposite hallway from my center/office. I would have put it in a plastic container and taken it to work to dispose of.
I do have this to say:
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER put needles (medical waste) in a public waste basket or your personal garbage. It is a public health hazard to do so. If you don't want to personally leave it and call a public official (police/public health service) to take care of it, put it in a hard plastic container and turn it in to your local hospital or community organization that handles/has a 'Safe Needle Disposal' program.
http://www.safeneedledisposal.org/
I do have this to say:
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER put needles (medical waste) in a public waste basket or your personal garbage. It is a public health hazard to do so. If you don't want to personally leave it and call a public official (police/public health service) to take care of it, put it in a hard plastic container and turn it in to your local hospital or community organization that handles/has a 'Safe Needle Disposal' program.
http://www.safeneedledisposal.org/
voted helpful: interzone
1. Never throw any needles directly into the trash. Always throw needles in hard plastic container. E.g. empty washing liquid container.
2. In your case, it is a good idea to call a non-emergency number like 311 to notify.
2. In your case, it is a good idea to call a non-emergency number like 311 to notify.
voted helpful: interzone
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