POLICE SHOULD FOCUS ON REAL CRIME

On the front page of the March 29 edition of The News I read a few
curious and puzzling comments made by Norm Boucher, our chief of
police. He stated the Medicine Hat Police Service is only capable of
removing a meager eight per cent of the illegal narcotics flowing
through our city. Eight per cent is a complete failure of policy and
method. If the return on the vast dollars spent on the local "war on
drugs" is eight per cent we would be wise to rethink our current approach.

I don't wish to discredit or diminish the efforts of the police, they
have been charged with an impossible task, using futile methods.
Boucher described $16,500 worth of narcotics as "a sizable amount." I
think $16,500 worth of narcotics is like removing a grain of sand from
a beach would be a better description of the bust.

Boucher said the chiefs of police in Alberta are strongly opposed the
decriminalization of marijuana because "profits from marijuana are
used to buy other drugs." This statement is accurate but incomplete.

What should be added is that profits from marijuana are used to
purchase weapons, corrupt our government, and build powerful violent
gangs. Profits from cocaine have put parts of South and Central
America into a state of anarchy, causing the death of millions of
innocent people. Profits from heroin fund terrorism and will likely
purchase the first nuclear weapon detonated on North American soil.
Legalization is the only way to devalue narcotics and render them
unprofitable. Legalization is the only way to end profiteering at the
expense of the weak and sick. Legalization is the only way to end this
suffering and madness.

Drug abuse is a medical illness and should be treated as such. Let the
police focus on real crime so the world can heal.

Lee Thompson