Law enforcement group supports legalizing marijuana

Police, judges and prosecutors backing Proposition 19, the marijuana legalization initiative, will hold simultaneous news conferences Monday to talk about why they support making the drug legal.

Members of the nonprofit organization Law Enforcement Against Prohibition say that on-the-job experience has shown them the futility of trying to enforce laws prohibiting the possession and use of cannabis.

"I was with the LAPD when Nixon declared the 'war on drugs' over 40 years ago and was one of the 'generals' on the front lines who helped implement that same failed drug policy that is still in effect today,'' said Stephen Downing, a retired LAPD deputy chief of police.

"By keeping marijuana illegal, we aren't preventing anyone from using it," he continued. "The only results are billions of tax-free dollars being funneled into the pockets of bloodthirsty drug cartels and gangs who control the illegal market."

LEAP members are mostly retired from their professions. Active law enforcements groups and police chiefs are overwhelmingly opposed to Prop. 19's passage.

The 10 a.m. news conferences will take place at Oakland City Hall and at West Hollywood Park, 672 N. Robertson Blvd.

-- Catherine Saillant

Comments

[Justin George]

I wonder why the active officers would be opposed? Could it be that without having to arrest and lock people up for smoking pot that there would be a cutback in hours or officers needed? hmmm

[James]

It could be that active officers don't want to break rank from the union heads that are anti-legalization. Police chiefs and union leaders need to be perceived as tough against crime for career reasons. Another reason unions are silly.

[SAM]

Nah, Justin. They just have to toe the department line until they don't get paid by the department anymore. Then they can be honest. When someone at the top has the courage to take a stand, watch how many of the underlings come "out of the closet."

If you want to see an example of honesty, bravery and strength of character, Google Judge James Grey (Gray?) of Orange County.

[Sofia]

Justin--

No need to wonder. It's called the "dash for cash." Overtime for narcotics enforcement is the biggest boondoggle ever in the history of law enforcement. There is no requirement that this law enforcement effort show any results -- which his good because there are none to be shown. We often see stats regarding the reduction in homicides and other crimes. Only the most petty and poverty stricken persons get arrested under drug enforcement. Not to mention that the enforcement methods include uneven consequences on certain communities.

[Thc]

I think they oppose because then they can't profile people and they will be forced to solve real crimes.

[JJMS]

Or maybe they'd have to pursue more dangerous and complex crimes rather than busting somenone for a joint.

[malcolm kyle]

The illegal drug trade is now estimated to be somewhere in the region of $400 billion a year ( equal to the defense budget ). This "former land of the free" arrests 1.5 million of it's citizens a year for drug law violations, half for marijuana alone, The majority of the 2.2 million inmates in the USA are incarcerated because of this insane drug war (Prohibition 2) at a staggering cost to all taxpayers and trauma to their families.

Prisons have been filled to capacity. Violent criminals, murderers, rapists and child molesters are released early to create space for these so called drug offenders. Half of court trial time and also a huge chunk of police officers time is pointlessly wasted. Enormous untaxed profits from illegal drugs fund multi-national criminal empires which bribe law enforcement authorities and spread corruption faster than a raging bush fire. These laws take violent criminals and turn them into multi-billionaires whilst corrupting even entire countries such as Columbia, Panama, Mexico and Afghanistan. The extreme violence on and south of the border is drug gangs fighting for turf in this lucrative business. The drug laws are also funding the Taliban whose illegal opium profits allow it to buy weapons and pay it's fighters more than $300 a month, compared with the $14 paid to an Afghan policemen.

The definition of insanity is great folly, madness, extreme senselessness, lunacy. The present drug laws cause all of the above and may therefor be deemed insane.

There will be many of you who probably fear a theoretical free-for-all, but that overlooks one major point: That's exactly the situation we have at the moment. Sure, there are laws against the possession and sale of these drugs, but they have no impact on actually restricting either one. When we allow such drugs to remain in the criminal market, they finance the activities of street punks, violent gangs, drug lords and terrorists. That's why there is now such an urgent need to legalize, which will not only allow us to properly regulate these substances, but also strip the illegal cartels of their main income.

So please consider the following very carefully : It wasn't the alcohol that caused the surge in crime and homicide during alcohol prohibition, it was prohibition itself. That's why many of us find it hard to believe that the same thing is not happening now. We clearly have a prohibition fueled violent crime problem. A huge number of these violent crimes are perpetrated by criminal syndicates and gangs who use the proceeds form the sales of illegal substances to further even more of their criminal activities.

Prohibition is nothing less than a grotesque dystopian nightmare. We have to regulate and we have to do it now!

[art]

If we legalize, we can tax it. It will still be cheaper than buying it from some stranger and you know the product will be legit. I don't see a negative side to this. If people want to spend their day laying about on a couch then so be it. The one thing I am going to ask if the Driving While Impaired Laws become extremely more critical and punishments more severe.

[Frank Herrer]

there is also the huge bribe money for Law enforcement that goes with the prohibition...

[Marcos El Malo]

@Justin:

I don't think it's that so much as active officers and brass are subject to political pressure from their civilian bosses. If they want to keep their jobs, they have to do what the politicians want. In terms of cutting back on budgets, one of the points that LEAP is making is that there are plenty of other crimes that law enforcement should be focusing on, rather than going after marijuana users.

The most of the members of LEAP are under no such political pressure and are free to speak their minds. This is why I find their opinions more credible. They're no longer beholden to politics and are able to speak the truth as they see it. Rank and file officers risk their careers if they speak out publicly and make waves. Those that do show exemplary bravery (not that most officers aren't brave in the regular line of duty).

[Alan]

No Justin, they'd just have to work more dangerous criminal issues.

[Retired]

The LEAP members are mostly RETIRED from their professions. Yes, right!
Because you know what, they want their cut from the sales of marijuana and these taxes will fund their retirement. The number one reason for budget deficit is because of the lucrative pension plans of government employees. $150K pension per year for a chief who is under 55 years of age for the rest of his or her life. $20K to $40K per year of pension for government employees. Can you get that from a private firm? Impossible most of the time. Remember the higher taxes for alcohol and tobacco promising to help with the budget? Where did all the money go? Remember legalizing lottery gambling in CA to fund the education? Why are there still budget cuts for education? Where did all that money go? The only reason why they want this legalized is because of the potential money absent of social responsibility.

The active police force knows that when pot is legalized, it will be a bigger headache for them. They will be a pot grow police watching the marijuana cultivation in the community backyards and pot shops from being robbed. You already know that liquor stores are a magnet for crime and violence. Why add marijuana shops and millions of backyards with marijuana that they need to watch for robbers and violence? Then the police have to deal with driving under the influence of MARIJUANA. Prop 19 will put hundreds of overtime work for the POLICE force policing the community for illegal marijuana use around minors, illegal distribution, out of compliance pot growth, etc. Add to that overtime, catching the smugglers smuggling the California pot to the other states. The police force needs to expand just to support the legalization of marijuana in CA.

[netzero]

Many law enforcement officers would come out to support legalization today but cannot due to dept policy/peer pressure. It is not an overtime issue - today there is virtually no overtime and additional pressure to volunteer hours due to budget cuts. The retired officers reflect the true sentiment for many active duty officers.

[Galaxy420*]

Finally, a sensible group of Law enforcement! We need to legalize/de-criminalize marijuana and focus on more serious crimes. Instead of enforcing silly marijuana laws, they can focus more on real crime, violent crime, harder drugs, gangs, cartels, rapists, identity theft, etc etc. Lets end the hypocrisy of having marijuana illegal when it shouldn't be. Legalize and lets focus on real problems in life.

[marcentre]

LEO's always say, "we don't make the laws. We just enforce them". Plus, actively employed LEO's have a vested interest in keeping cannabis prohibition going for financial reasons. The truth is LEO's should be able to state their proofs that prohibition is more effective at regulating cannabis than legalization is. But, to make baseless statements & expect the public to respect their authority is illogical. Cops are are obviously trying to influence public opinion that favors them financially as they make a lot of income off cannabis prohibition. Law making is not their place. I & most of the people I have ask these questions of have lost respect for & trust of LEO's. The questions? Do you feel the war on cannabis users has made you safer? Do you trust that as long as you have nothing to do with cannabis, you are safe from having false evidence planted in your vehicle or home to allow the seizure of your property? Do you think it's easier for minors to buy alcohol or cannabis? If you're like me in not using cannabis & are convinced the war on cannabis is counter productive & a self fulfilling disaster. Then, you're answer to these questions is cannabis prohibition doesn't make us safer. Our civil rights are being shredded by prohibition & LEO's can ruin you over a little bit of drugs. That licensed merchants card alcohol buyers for age & criminals will sell cannabis to anyone, regardless of age. Cannabis use was not a problem until prohibitionists criminalized it. 73 years of prohibition have made cannabis readily available nationwide. The 5000% increase in cannabis use since Nixon's time is due to prohibition making cannabis desirable as the 'forbidden fruit'. Treat cannabis like alcohol & tobacco. Cannabis prohibition = Anarchy. Regulation = legalization. Let all your political leaders know that you want cannabis legalized.

[the morg]

About time. 56yo here. not that I will or will not go for it, I am just happy to see this done and over with. Yes our 36 year war with out end is about to lose one enemy.

Regarding dui's and just when are you under the influance or not with weed, someone can make a bundle coming up with a test and conclusive level at which one is high or not and maybe smoked 2 days prior. I have looked into this and its not rocket science just would cost a lot to R&D and get the various LEA's behind you.

[Tom, Long Beach, California]

it's going to pass....most law enforcement personnel know it's the right thing to do but the politically correct thing and the perception of their support or denial could affect their employment.......

[Aaron]

@Retired

Your argument might appear legitimate to someone who doesn't know a lot about marijuana, but what cops and marijuana users all know is that despite laws criminalizing marijuana use this is still the #1 cash crop in California and marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug. I was never asked for identification when I first started using marijuana, because like everyone else who starts in their teen years we just got it from friends, or friends of friends in junior high school. Pot was and always will be easily accessible, so why should illegal growers and marijuana sellers continue to make money instead of letting that money go towards paying for teachers to keep their jobs and cops to fight real crimes?

Your argument is against rationality and is a tired and old argument that isn't working anymore. There is absolutely no legitimate reason to continue to prevent the state from collecting taxes on a product that is and always will be a product in high demand.

[TheBigPicture]

It sounds like the former Deputy Chief was hitting his bong before providing that statement...I wonder how much Mary Jane walked away from the Property Room during his Watch...

[Tom]

Just what we need...dope smoking cops. We might as well put back call boxes supplied with pints of whiskey too! Good Lord! Where is common sense, judgement, character, and most of all, the law enforcement "code of ethics." Read them, they are on-line. There are already enough dope smoking attorneys in the criminal justice system. Please...no dope smoking cops!

[TheBigPicture]

As I've said before...I would legalize all drugs and hand them out like candy to all the zombies that wanted them...FREE...

I would be willing for the Government to subsidize the manufacturing of all "illicit" drugs...It would help reduce the thefts, burglaries and robberies from the morons who are supporting their habit.

I would also support setting aside some money for increasing the Morgue size along with staff by 10 fold...

We will start seeing a lot more addiction and overdoses, but that's alright...those people are normally not the taxpayer/productive members of society...It will actually put a big dent in the social services cakewalk...because a lot of the normal recipients will be deceased...

I'm telling you, this whole thing is Win/Win...

The only thing is...In about 10 years, after many causalities, certain groups will be blaming the CIA, again...saying they put some sort of Vulcan mind trance on them to vote for the legalization...They've got to point the finger at somebody...

[Mufon]

Lame albeit humorous comments from the bashers who have no idea what an officer's on-duty life is like.

[marcentre]

There's the lower cost of treatment over incarceration. Then there's harm reduction. Both are far less expensive than prison & more effective. Plus, harm reduction would greatly reduce property crimes committed by addicts. Saving American taxpayers a lot of money & inconvenience. Moreover, I'm not personally for legalizing certain drugs like Meth & PCP as the treatment time is too long, intensive, & expensive. My main point is regarding cannabis legalization, anyway. Remember the US Govt says 60% of all illicit substances generating profits for the drug cartels is cannabis. Take this substance, that's arguably safer than alcohol or tobacco, away from criminals & it defunds their other nefarious criminal operations & expansion. Plus, legalization will de-link cannabis seekers from dealers of hardcore drugs. Thereby, lessening the exposure to truly dangerous, deadly & very addictive drugs like heroin. Licensed merchants card for age, don't expose customers to heroin & collect sales tax. Visit LEAP.cc for their take on full blown drug decriminalization. But, I'm more focused on the least harmful, most productive way to reduce the harms from prohibition by regualating the sale of cannabis to adults 21 & over via legalization. We handle the other already legalized recreational drugs (alcohol & tobacco) this way. We can & must do the same with cannabis.

[Beth Carter]

It seems the support to legalize Marijuana is ever increasing, but it is just so controversial! My mind's not even made up on the subject.

[Edge]

You can't tell me officers don't light up every now and then. Marijuana, for better or worse, is popular in all social standings and I'm frankly sick and tired of seeing casual users getting the law thrown at them for the mere crime of using it. I applaud CA for taking this right step, I would gladly support any similar legislation here in AZ.