POLICE SHOULD FOCUS ON OTHER THINGS BESIDES POT

Measure K, the lowest law-enforcement priority initiative, is about
setting police priorities that make sense.

This November, Santa Cruz voters will have the chance to choose a
local, common-sense alternative to the Bush administration's failed
War on Drugs. Measure K will make adult marijuana offenses the lowest
law-enforcement priority for the Santa Cruz Police Department,
allowing our police to use their valuable time and resources to focus
on preventing serious and violent crime.

There are far more pressing issues and far more pressing drugs, like
methamphetamine and heroine, affecting our city than nonviolent adult
marijuana users.

Santa Cruz citizens are rightly concerned about the rising levels of
violence and the shocking number of violent crimes that go unsolved.

Last year, more than three quarters of reported rapes and over half
of reported assaults in Santa Cruz went unsolved.

At the same time, gang violence is on the rise. Shouldn't our police
focus on fighting crimes like these?

Measure K will make Santa Cruz safer by enabling police to focus time
and resources on preventing violent crime, as opposed to non-violent
marijuana offenses.

The measure does not apply to distribution of marijuana to minors,
offenses taking place on public property or driving under the influence.

Similar initiatives have been quite successful in several other
cities, including Oakland, West Hollywood and Seattle. Since Seattle
passed its lowest law-enforcement priority initiative, marijuana
arrests have plummeted by more than 75 percent, with no reported
increase in usage. Former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper has said
that the policy has "made a huge difference, freeing up the police to
concentrate on real crimes."

In Santa Cruz, Measure K will also put our city on record as
supporting reform of state and federal marijuana laws. Nationally,
the Bush administration has made marijuana - medial or otherwise -
its number-one priority in its failed War on Drugs. Each year, over
700,000 people are arrested in the United States for
marijuana-related offenses. In California, taxpayers spend over $150
million a year to arrest, prosecute and imprison marijuana offenders.

Our overcrowded prisons are at nearly twice capacity and taxpayers
are now being asked for billions more to build new ones. It's time
for a more sensible approach.

We deserve policies that reflect our values and priorities here in
Santa Cruz. Measure K was placed on the ballot by the signatures of
over 6,000 Santa Cruz citizens, nearly twice the amount required.
Public opinion polls show that a strong majority of Santa Cruz voters
agree that the federal War on Drugs has failed, and that police
should focus more time and resources on investigating violent crimes
instead of non-violent marijuana offenses.

Since Measure K was placed on the ballot, there has been an
outpouring of support from community leaders and organizations,
including the Democratic Party of Santa Cruz County, the California
Nurses Association, UAW Local 2865, Santa Cruz Action Network, Vice
Mayor Emily Reilly, Councilmember Tim Fitzmaurice and many others.

This Nov. 7, we have the opportunity to continue our tradition of
progressive and humane leadership by passing Measure K. Please join
us. To learn more about Measure K and how you can get involved,
please visit www.SensibleSantaCruz.org.