News (Media Awareness Project) - US VA: PUB LTE: FOP -vs- Judge Cales |
| Title: | US VA: PUB LTE: FOP -vs- Judge Cales |
| Published On: | 1999-10-05 |
| Source: | Virginian-Pilot (VA) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-05 18:47:55 |
FOP -VS- JUDGE CALES
Dear Editor,
It is not the least bit surprising that the police union representatives
are decrying the criticism from Judge Cales (Aug. 24, 1999, Portsmouth
police union decries judge's "slap in face" by John Hopkins in The
Virginian-Pilot).
The police want job security just like anyone else and they perceive the
"war on drugs" as a major factor in the funding of their departments.
People will never stop wanting to use drugs and as long as the problem is
considered criminal instead of medical it will not be solved. As long as
the trouble continues police will need an ever-increasing flow of funds.
It is good for the union's priorities, paychecks and new hires.
Why, though, do the police deceive by omission the role they play in the
creation of the laws they enforce.
Every February you can find these very persons at the General Assembly in
Richmond unabashedly lobbying.
Sgt. Garret Shelton is correct that the legislature has not repealed any
drug laws. In fact, thanks to the efforts of his organization the trend is
to pass ever-stiffer laws regarding drugs.
Years ago I did exactly what Judge Cales did. I complained to police that
these laws were ineffective and police should concentrate on catching
violent criminals.
I remember being told that if someone doesn't like the laws they should go
to the state capitol and get them changed.
It sounded easy. I decided to try it. I started to attend legislative
meetings and quickly understood why the police find it easy to get laws passed.
They, police and prosecutors, have a large number of lobbyists working
feverishly to preserve their interests, which is, as I said, big budgets
and jobs. The people who build prisons are there too. The few volunteer
reformers like myself who take time off work to oppose them don't have a
chance. Our system is composed of checks and balances.
A judge is doing his job when he criticizes enforcement gone astray and he
is correct to be concerned. The drug war is a failure and the laws need to
be changed.
Sincerely,
Lennice Werth
Dear Editor,
It is not the least bit surprising that the police union representatives
are decrying the criticism from Judge Cales (Aug. 24, 1999, Portsmouth
police union decries judge's "slap in face" by John Hopkins in The
Virginian-Pilot).
The police want job security just like anyone else and they perceive the
"war on drugs" as a major factor in the funding of their departments.
People will never stop wanting to use drugs and as long as the problem is
considered criminal instead of medical it will not be solved. As long as
the trouble continues police will need an ever-increasing flow of funds.
It is good for the union's priorities, paychecks and new hires.
Why, though, do the police deceive by omission the role they play in the
creation of the laws they enforce.
Every February you can find these very persons at the General Assembly in
Richmond unabashedly lobbying.
Sgt. Garret Shelton is correct that the legislature has not repealed any
drug laws. In fact, thanks to the efforts of his organization the trend is
to pass ever-stiffer laws regarding drugs.
Years ago I did exactly what Judge Cales did. I complained to police that
these laws were ineffective and police should concentrate on catching
violent criminals.
I remember being told that if someone doesn't like the laws they should go
to the state capitol and get them changed.
It sounded easy. I decided to try it. I started to attend legislative
meetings and quickly understood why the police find it easy to get laws passed.
They, police and prosecutors, have a large number of lobbyists working
feverishly to preserve their interests, which is, as I said, big budgets
and jobs. The people who build prisons are there too. The few volunteer
reformers like myself who take time off work to oppose them don't have a
chance. Our system is composed of checks and balances.
A judge is doing his job when he criticizes enforcement gone astray and he
is correct to be concerned. The drug war is a failure and the laws need to
be changed.
Sincerely,
Lennice Werth
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