A Ceasefire in the War on Drugs

People are going to take drugs. Not everybody, but a good proportion of people. Some will take drugs recreationally, some will become addicted. Some will dip in and out of drug use, some will spiral into a depraved world and hectic lifestyle. Some people will never try an illegal drug. Some people will try them all.

The above is probably going to remain true no matter what approach we take to drug use. The fact is we need to start focusing our resources on harm reduction and assistance for those that drug use affects so negatively.

As always, I don't have the answers. But I do know that what we are currently doing does not work. We criminalise ordinary people, and sometimes sick people, for drug use or possession. Licensed venues such as clubs are terrified of working with police as police licensing teams rule with an iron rod and if the clubs admit drug use in their venues then they are closed, temporarily or sometimes indefinitely.

Legalisation is not necessarily the answer. But a redirection of funds and resources, such as man power, into education, prevention, and intervention would, in my opinion, be a start. That's all very broad I understand, but it's better than locking people up for taking drugs.

Some people like to get fucked up, for a myriad of reasons (Good heavens! Excuse my French). First and foremost we need to focus on making sure it is done as safely as possible. Persecuting people leads to an aura of "unapproachability". We have been arresting people for using drugs for decades, and it is still happening. So perhaps, whilst keeping a principle of illegality, we lower the stick slightly and raise the carrot.

From a policing point of view all resources should be directed towards those who prey on the vulnerable and sell narcotics, and those who manufacture them. An incredible amount of man hours are wasted while officers deal with people whom have been stopped with £10 worth of cannabis. As a society we gain nothing from this. It costs a fortune, it takes police off the streets for unnecessarily long amounts of time, and it criminalises (albeit sometimes in a very minor way) somebody for doing something that so many of us have done (Hands up! Who's smoked a joint before?! You're nicked!).

As I said, I don't have the answers. We do, however, need a cataclysmic shift in the way we deal with drug use in London, and the UK. I'm not pro-drug. I'm anti criminalisation for minor drug possession. I'm pro harm reduction.

Your sons and daughters, as with mine, are quite likely to try drugs at some point. No matter how much we try, it is likely to happen. If they were to be caught, would you want them thrown in a cell or taught the realities and consequences of their actions? Before being safely deposited back to yourselves, of course. It all sounds a little 'la-de-da' I know. I'm not a 'la-de-da' person generally, but the above is a typical example of the pointlessness of criminalising people.

As for prison, drug users often tell me that it is the opposite that a drug addict needs. Drugs are, apparently, widely available and if you think that prison will get people clean, you are very wrong. Addicts should be provided with safe environments to take hard drugs, with clean needles and medical staff on site. This has been implemented in several countries, and very successfully too. Whilst they are there, counsellors work their magic and gently prod and probe to get each person ready for recovery.

It's a difficult subject and nobody knows exactly what will work and what won't. Those that dabble in drugs are generally little nuisance to society, and those that become addled with addiction are a gigantic peck of bother! Those that are addicted should be 'treated' rather than 'punished'.

Please feel free to comment below to let me know your own stance on drug policies.

Anonymous Bobby

The Recession and Police Cuts

Just a quick note on the recent cuts to police budgets in the UK.

There aren't enough police officers on the streets of London. The public know it and police officers  know it. The current trend in supervisory policing is to cut. Cut cut cut. Save save save. The problem with this is that the public don't get the police service they deserve and the officers that are out there are stretched too thin.

More is being asked of officers on a day-to-day basis. The response team shift pattern, for instance, has recently been changed to 7.5 days on then 2.5 days off. That's 7 and a half days of intense, non-stop reactionary policing before 2 days rest. The work/life balance is gone and been replaced with a work/sleep balance. This doesn't leave enough time for their families and loved ones, especially as the hours they work are unsociable to start with.

Police officers have seen budget cuts that have affected their personal lives recently. The pension schemes they were paying into for up to 10 years have suddenly seen the terms changed beyond recognition. Having planned their retirement, they are having to have a complete rethink as they are expected to pay more money towards their pensions, receive much less and work for a lot longer. As well as this they have seen wage freezes and an unprecedented attack on overtime incentives and other benefits such as free travel.

All a good saving to the public purse though is it not?

Officers have their few days off cancelled for lots of reason, and often at short notice. They are working with faulty, outdated equipment such as cars, computers, and toilets that constantly clog and overflow. Conditions are poor and morale amongst police officers is lower.

I've been a police officer for around a decade. I have never seen morale in the police as low as it is currently. I have spoken to many officers who have served for over 20 years and they concur. Morale is important. To the public more than anyone else. At best officers are more tired and have less time to dedicate to crime prevention. They do a less thorough job of reporting as the next incident is always outstanding and supervisors are pushing them to arrive in the designated response time. At worst, we have a mental health crisis amongst police officers just around the corner as they suffer from a complete burnout.

Cuts effect the service the public get from the police. One day you might need the police. You might need them in a hurry. Who knows, your life may even depend on it. It will take longer for the police to get to you now then it would have 5 years ago. There is no debating that. But, more importantly, what if when the police do arrive they are too tired, or downtrodden to help you, or what if they don't even care anymore?

Anonymous Bobby