POLICE OFFICIALS CRITICIZE DRUG INITIATIVE

Police and justice officials in Kern County slammed a drug-treatment ballot
initiative during a press conference Thursday.

But they were peppered with sharp questions from two Proposition 36
backers.

Officials on hand for the press conference in the Bakersfield Police
Department offices said drug treatment cannot work without the threat of
incarceration. But Prop. 36 in many cases would make it difficult if not
impossible to lock up people for drug possession, they said.

The measure would require substance abuse treatment instead of jail for
first- and second-time non-violent drug offenders.

"When they test dirty, you can't send them to jail," said District Attorney
Edward Jagels. "When they won't go to the program, you can't send them to
jail."

Jagels called the measure "back-door legalization of narcotics."

Kern County judges said they are getting drug offenders treatment now.
Proposition 36 supporters fired out more questions than reporters did,
asking whether speakers believed that tobacco addicts should be jailed or
if the status quo of anti-drug efforts is sufficient.

Wendell Gustin said police oppose the measure because so much public money
is spent attacking the supply side of the problem. Treatment is a better
option than the "revolving door" of drug offender incarceration, which
costs taxpayers millions of dollars, Gustin said.