To: Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the Santa Cruz City Council
Please find the Take Back Santa Cruz Needles Solutions Team Needles in Public Spaces (NIPS) report attached. This is a log of citizen reports of needles found in public spaces for the last 39 months.
The log was created as a reference so that someone can use the data to:
- Keep the County and City aware that there is an ongoing problem;
- Determine if the needles found in public spaces are increasing or decreasing;
- Provide data to the City and County so that “hot spot” patterns can be identified for City/County cleanup; and to
- Give the community a place to log their finds.
Total NIPS Finds for Reporting Period 39 For reporting period 39 (2/9/2016-3/8/16),
222 needles found in public spaces were logged. This count includes citizen reports, community group reports and reports by City workers. 102 needles were found by citizens and community groups; the other 120 needles were found by City workers.
Significant Finds For Reporting Period
A child found and picked up a needle at a birthday party at Cowell Beach. (1126N)
A six-year-old picked up a needle in the plants at a coffee shop. (1129N)
Needles were found by several people at Seabright Beach the day after a big storm. (1141N, 1142N, 1143N)
A 12-year-old found a needle while doing yardwork in front of his home. (1133N)
A woman found a needle on Cowell Beach where her boys were playing. (1152N)
Hot Spot NIPS Locations for Reporting Periods 38:
San Lorenzo River/Levee San Lorenzo Park
Seabright Beach
Cowell Beach
Main Beach
1100 block of Ocean Street
Neary Lagoon
Cliff Street Walkway
NIPS Finds In The Past Year:
2/9/16-3/8/16: 222
1/9/16-2/8/16: 291
12/9/15-1/8/16: 242
11/9/15-12/8/15: 217
10/9/15—11/8/15: 297
9/9/15-10/8/15: 231
8/9/15-9/8/15: 223
7/9/15-8/8/15: 238
6/9/15-7/8/15: 221
5/9/15-6/8/15: 145
4/9/15-5/8/15: 204
3/9/15-4/8/15: 210
2/9/2015-3/8/15: 340 (Note: Quantity increased by a conservative estimate of 200 after the Needles Team obtained additional information concerning City needle finds through Public Records Act Request.)
1/9/15 – 2/8/15: 187
12/9/14-1/8/15: 170
11/9/14-12/8/14: 156
Overview of Last 39 Months
· Total Number of Needles Reported Found: 10,207
· Average Number of Needles Found Per Month: 261
· Source of needles: Again, based on the frequent presence of other items from the SSP such as water capsules, cookers, and alcohol wipes, we conclude that a significant number of needles found in public spaces likely originated from the SSP (and obviously were not returned for exchange.) However, there are other needles being found that do not match those given out by the SSP, so there are presumably other sources of discarded needles. ·
Needle Sticks: We have confirmed 8 cases of people being stuck by needles (including 4 children).
Media Coverage of Needles in Public Space
- 2/19/2016: Scotts Valley Press Banner – Dramatic Increase In Needles Found on Seabright Beach: http://www.goldenstatenewspapers.com/press_banner/dramatic-increasein-needles-found-on-seabright-beach/article_62d773fa-d748-11e5-b09a-2bc70c5144f2.html
- 2/20/2016: Santa Cruz Sentinel – In Three Years Group Collects 10,000 Discarded Needles in Santa Cruz County:http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20160220/in-three-years-group-collects-10000-discarded-syringes-in-santa-cruz-county#disqus_thread
- 2/22/2016: Letter to the Editor, Sentinel – Urging Support for Needle Exchange Services: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/20160221/letters-feb-22-2016-thank-you-young-writers-program-and-steinbeck
- 2/22/16: Letter to the Editor, Sentinel – TBSC Should Leave Needle-Exchange Program Alone: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/20160222/letters-feb-23-2016-schools-condition-a-shameful-state-of-affairs
- 2/23/16: Santa Cruz Sentinel – Hits and Misses – Needle Number Shocks But It’s the Ugly Truth: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/20160222/hits-and-misses-needle-number-shocks-but-its-the-ugly-truth
- 2/24/16 Santa Cruz Sentinel – Letters to the Editor – Try The Logical Solution To Discarded Syringes; Time for the City to Address Its IV Drug Problem: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/20160223/letters-feb-24-2016-walkup-homeless-shelter-downtown-what-is-needed
- 2/27/16: Santa Cruz Sentinel – Steve Pleich: Needle Exchange Not the Problem; It’s the Solution: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/20160227/steve-pleich-needle-exchange-not-problem-its-the-solution?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
- 3/7/16: KION – Weekend weather litters beaches in Santa Cruz http://www.kionrightnow.com/news/local-news/weekend-weather-litters-beaches-in-santa-cruz-county/38387962
how much would it be worth to set up our own needle marking system? $10,000? $100,000?…let’s start the discussion…how much could it cost to buy or rent a gas sterilizer and start a pilot program of marking syringes?…seems like a laudable goal to be able to treat people who cannot (or will not) discard their needles properly….if we can track them then we can treat (teach them)….but it is impossible now due to the lack of track-able needles…
I think it’s worth about $200,000 per year for our sanity and well being…all of ours!
Safeway grocery stores, Taco Bell restaurant and other public bathrooms are places where junkies shoot up heroin every morning.