The Washington Island Police Department has put forth a positive effort toward stopping prescription painkiller abuse in the area. The police department participated in the Dose of Reality campaign, a program that asks donors to give up their unused painkiller medication to any of several drop-off points in the state. Wisconsin has been one of the most active states involved with the cause, collecting 68,016 pounds of drugs in October alone and finishing second only behind California. Chief of Police Tyler McGrane said while their contributions weren’t as large as the biggest participating communities, it’s more about putting forth a good cause.
Washington Island as a community turned in 30 pounds of drugs over the course of the year, with over half coming in the month of April. The Dose of Reality campaign will continue into 2019, with both the Washington Island and Sturgeon Bay Police Departments announcing campaign dates in the near future.