They say the city is clinging to them.
A city-sponsored needle exchange program outside a children’s library in the Bronx is drawing heat from a Big Apple poll — and many local residents are slamming the location as “unacceptable.”
“The entire street is infected,” local resident John Martínez told The Post. “There are children around. I have seen him shooting in the open. One person is injecting another person. This is a big mess.”
Another neighbor said it’s gotten to the point where you have to watch where you walk.
“I’m seeing a lot of needles. They do that and they leave it there,” said Patricia Flores, a local pharmacy clerk, as she walked by the Bronx Library Center on Kingsbridge Road with her 8-year-old daughter.
“You have to watch where you step. This is crazy,” Flores said. “I would love to see him out of here and see him doing it somewhere else. It would be nice if they could put it in a different area. Especially not in front of the library. We go to the library all the time.
Bronx Councilman Oswald Feliz exposed the needle exchange site in a letter to the city health department earlier this month, saying his constituents were “disappointed and outraged” by it.
“Syringe distribution program in front of children’s library has created unsafe conditions
Situations including illegal drug use and discarding used syringes in the library
Toilet,” Feliz wrote in the Dec. 3 letter.
“In some cases, persons under the influence have displayed erratic behavior inside the library, which has left visitors shaken,” he said. “Distributing needles in front of a children’s library is outrageous, irresponsible, and difficult to understand, especially when coming from health professionals, and from an administration that says safety is the top priority.”
Like neighborhood residents interviewed by The Post, Felix said he largely understands the practice of providing clean syringes to addicts to avoid the spread of the disease — but not in front of children.
The van, which reads “Boom!” On Friday, a sign reading ‘Health’ was parked across the street from the library – part of the New York Public Library system.
Sometimes people would come and knock on the door and possibly be given fresh needles.
The van is part of the health department.”Syringe Service ProgramInitiative, which provides drug users access to safe supplies, naloxone, hepatitis and HIV testing, counseling and referrals.
City Hall officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment — but residents had a lot to say about the decision to place the van outside the library.
“It’s out in the open in front of the library,” said New Yorker Regina Duran. “If children see people using drugs they may think it is normal. There are no consequences, I can just cross the street, get a needle and take the drugs.”
“This is worrying,” said local Mel Engel. “A lot of children and elderly people come to the library. You never know if said needles might end up on the bathroom floor. Although the library is a resource for everyone, there are some bad problems that restrict library access for everyone.
(TagstoTranslate)Metro(T)US News(T)City Council(T)Substance Abuse(T)Department of Health(T)New York Public Library(T)The Bronx
