Pubdate: Fri, 30 Jan 2004
Source: Times, The (UK)
Copyright: 2004 Times Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://www.the-times.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/454
Author: Ian Blair

POLICE VIEW ON CANNABIS LAW

 From the Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police

Sir, The factors involved in the decision to reclassify cannabis
(letters, January 23 and 28) are much wider than the effectiveness of
police activity. But, in the week that the drug is reclassified, it is
pertinent to put on record that the Metropolitan Police Service
supports the enforcement regime now envisaged, which is based on its
advice to the Home Office.

During the 30 years of my police service, the policing of possession
of small amounts of cannabis has become increasingly pointless. It was
grossly inefficient for officers to spend hours processing individuals
for possession of cannabis in amounts about which neither the courts
nor therefore the CPS were prepared to take any action. Nor was it
fair to pass the burden of such a situation on to individual officers,
who would be left open to all sorts of allegations for failing to
arrest someone when faced with evidence of possession of what has
until now been a Class B drug, for which arrest is effectively compulsory.

The retention of a power of arrest in some circumstances, however,
particularly to discourage the use of the drug by people under 18,
exactly concurs with the advice we gave to the Home Office.

The police fulfil the will of Parliament and, should a future
government decide, for whatever reason, to reverse this
reclassification, we will return to enforcement as it was. In the
meantime, while the message to those who use this illegal drug is more
complicated, we believe that the new rules of engagement will become
clear quite quickly.

Yours faithfully, IAN BLAIR, Deputy Commissioner, Metropolitan Police
Service, New Scotland Yard, Broadway, SW1H 0BG. January 26.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake