POT ISSUE PUTS OFFICERS IN 'ABSURD' POSITION

Police Services Grapple With 'Absurd' Situation

Dithering by Ottawa over marijuana possession laws has left cops in the
"absurd" position of investigating reports of stolen stashes, says a member
of the York Region police services board.

"It's ridiculous to put our police service in the position where someone
can report the theft of their drugs and we're in the position of going out
and trying to find out who stole their marijuana," Bob Callow said at the
board's meeting in Newmarket Wednesday.

"This is absurd. We need to have the federal government deal with this
immediately so our police service knows what it's doing."

He was supporting a policy paper outlining the board's opposition to
decriminalization of small amounts of pot.

While the government has indicated it is leaning toward a more lenient
approach to simple possession, no new laws have been passed.

Mr. Callow was particularly incensed by recent media reports of a woman who
phoned York Regional Police to say she had been robbed of her marijuana.

According to a news release, police were called last Thursday by a
Thornhill woman who said two men who indicated they had a gun stole two
bags of pot from her.

In January, an Ontario Court of Justice judge ruled it legal to possess
less than 30 grams of marijuana. The ruling was based on an earlier Court
of Appeal decision.

The federal government's legislation has been introduced and widely
discussed, but no vote has been taken.

The result has been something of a legal vacuum, with police generally
backing off from charges for simple possession. But that doesn't mean the
law enforcement community is happy about it.

"Certainly it's a very difficult situation for our police officers," said
Chief Armand La Barge.

The police board's policy opposes decriminalization, saying it undermines
the country's strategy to fight illegal drugs.

Chief La Barge has been outspoken on the issue. He said decriminalizing pot
will encourage organized crime operations, such as the marijuana grow
houses that have been found throughout the region.

On Wednesday, the chief called the federal government's approach to the
marijuana issue "wrong-headed".