POT ARRESTS PRE-EMPT POLICE TIME FOR MORE SERIOUS CRIME

As a retired police officer, I can add only one observation to the
excellent observations in the letter "Legalize marijuana, de-fang the
drug gangs" (Jan. 25), on why marijuana should be legal, regulated
and taxed -- namely, that public safety would be improved.

We in the police profession cur rently spend millions of patrol hours
looking for a baggie under a citizen's front seat. Meanwhile, the
deadly DUIs [driving under the influence] are caught less often as we
make these easy nickel-and-dime arrests for pos session.

Howard Wooldridge, Washington, D.C.