HELP US UPHOLD LAW OVER DRUGS

THE organisation representing Cumbrian police officers says two of the
service's leading figures have undermined officers' ability to uphold the
law with their comments on cannabis.

In a strongly worded statement, Cumbria Police Federation criticised police
authority chairman Reg Watson after he defended Chief Constable Colin
Phillips over his admission that he personally would turn a blind eye to
cannabis use if he encountered it at a party.

Federation chairman Kate Rowley claimed that front-line officers have been
thrown into confusion, and now have no clear guidelines about who to arrest.

Blind eye

Addressing her statement to Mr Watson, she says: "You want the law changed,
your party is in Government - do something about it. Don't expect the
officers of this county to read minds and know which law this week is on
special offer at a cheap rate."

Ms Rowley asks: "Do we arrest and if so would we get support from our
senior managers? Do we turn a blind eye and, if so, how many and to what
type of offences do we turn a blind eye?

"What are we to tell the youth of the community and new recruits to the
service - we have three types of law, some you uphold, some you bend and
some you ignore?

"Support is what our officers need when they are to uphold the laws made by
Parliament. They need to know they will receive the support required from
senior officers when required to do their duty on the streets of this county."

Earlier this week, Mr Watson revived the cannabis debate when he backed Mr
Phillips, saying he considered it appalling that somebody could get a
criminal record for smoking cannabis.

The police authority, which is made up of county councillors, magistrates
and independent members, acts as a governing body for the force.

"We haven't got the resources to go after every single cannabis user," said
Mr Watson. "It's all a question of priorities."

Responding to Ms Rowley's comments, Mr Watson insisted that Cumbrian police
officers should continue to use their discretion, and target the county's
most serious offenders.

He added: "Colin Phillips is an experienced drugs squad officer who has
worked at the highest level of drug enforcement and he knows where the
problems lie.

"I agree with his analysis. Cannabis, cigarettes and alcohol are problems
in the same league: alcohol can lead to violence, smoking causes cancer,
and cannabis can addle people's brains.

"We need a sensible debate. When a person goes to university and smokes a
joint, should we actually call them criminals? The punishment must fit the
crime.''