Pubdate: Sun, 18 May 2003
Source: Daily Telegraph (UK)
Copyright: 2003 Telegraph Group Limited
Contact:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/114
Author: David Bamber, Home Affairs Editor
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

YARD CHIEF CALLS FOR DRUGS TRADE TO BE LEGALISED

One of Scotland Yard's most senior officers has called for hard drugs - 
including crack cocaine and heroin - to be decriminalised, saying that 
police cannot win the war against dealers.

Chief Supt Anthony Wills, the borough commander of Hammersmith and Fulham 
in London, said that as the state could not control the criminal trade in 
drugs, it should take it over instead.

"I would have no problems with decriminalising drugs full stop," said Mr 
Wills. "There have to be very stringent measures over the production and 
supply of drugs and we have got to remove the drug market from criminals. I 
do not want people to take drugs but if they are going to, I want them to 
take them safely, with a degree of purity and in a controlled way."

Mr Wills, who heads more than 2,000 officers, said that draconian 
anti-drugs measures had always failed. "There are some places where people 
are beheaded if they sell drugs but even this does not stop the trade."

The officer, who has been a policeman for 30 years and a borough commander 
for six, has two teenage children and said: "I do not want my children 
taking drugs: what I am absolutely frightened about is that if my children 
want to take drugs I cannot stop them because there are animals out there 
who are prepared to sell them anything to make a profit."

He added: "I am not saying people should take drugs. They are very bad for 
you but the reality of the world we live in is this: if people want to get 
drugs they can get them. Drugs are a fact of life and you cannot eradicate 
them. My only concern is to increase the safety of the community and not to 
allow these ghastly people to make a fortune out of other people's misery."

Mr Wills's call, made in an interview with the Hammersmith and Shepherd's 
Bush Gazette, follows the controversy sparked by the Metropolitan Police's 
"Lambeth experiment" two years ago in which police in south London turned a 
blind eye to possession of cannabis.

The experiment led to allegations that hard drugs such as crack and heroin 
were being sold openly on the streets of Lambeth. Cdr Brian Paddick, the 
architect of the policy, was later suspended then reinstated over 
allegations that he himself had taken drugs. He has since been transferred 
to other duties and the experiment has been dropped.

Mr Wills, however, said that he too did not believe police should bother 
upholding laws on cannabis. "I am very liberal in relation to possession of 
drugs," he said. "Policing cannabis is a waste of our time as I do not feel 
the effects of cannabis are any worse than over-consumption of alcohol."

Last night his decision to air his views caused a row. Senior Conservatives 
said he would encourage young people to think that taking drugs was 
supported by the police and called on him to issue a retraction.

Ann Widdecombe, the former shadow home secretary, said: "When young people 
read views like this from a senior policeman they get the impression that 
taking drugs is okay - well it isn't. Hard drugs kill people and cannabis 
is proven scientifically to be harmful."

Many Conservatives also argue that the Government has encouraged confusion 
on the question of drugs by appearing to soften its policy. David Blunkett, 
the Home Secretary, has already announced that cannabis is to be downgraded 
from a Class B drug to Class C, meaning that possessing it will no longer 
be an arrestable offence.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said last night that no action was planned 
against Mr Wills "at this time". She added that she was not aware whether 
he had told Sir John Stevens, the Commissioner, of his intention to air his 
views.

The Home Office said: "All controlled drugs are harmful and will remain 
illegal. The Government's drug strategy focuses on the most dangerous drugs 
as the misery they cause cannot be underestimated. We have not seen the 
interview and so cannot comment on it."
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager