Bridgeport police, health department and city government are investigating after a 4-year-old girl pricked herself with a needle outside a church

Bridgeport police have increased patrols around an East Side church where a 4-year-old girl was stabbed last week by a dirty syringe she found on church property, Police Chief Roderick Porter said Monday.

“We are using all available resources to ensure the safety of the public,” Porter said.

City Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Rodriguez was among officials who held a news conference Monday outside the Shekinah Glory First Methodist Tabernacle on Brooks Street.

“We are concerned about children and adults finding dirty syringes, and we are taking steps to educate the public and ensure their safety,” said Dr. Rodriguez.

Eddy Michel of the Shekinah Glory First Methodist Tabernacle said young children have found the needles and played with them. At least one mother said her four-year-old daughter had to be treated at a local hospital after pricking herself with an insulin syringe that appeared to have blood in it.

“Last week we removed at least 150 to 200 potentially infected needles – and there are potentially children out and about in our community who could become infected or get bitten, which can cause a lot of problems for our children here,” Michel said.

An outreach team from Liberation Programs, a local nonprofit that deals with drug and addiction issues, was at the church on Monday, collecting dirty syringes and educating the public on ways to protect themselves from discarded needles and other drug paraphernalia.

State Senator Herron Gaston said he immediately alerted the Bridgeport Health Department after learning of the situation.

“I am pleased with the city’s comprehensive response and it encourages me to know that by raising the alarm, we have drawn attention to a health crisis that must be addressed and managed,” Gaston said.