Pubdate: Fri, 22 May 1998 Source: Daily Telegraph (UK) Contact: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ Author: John Steele POLICE ATTACKED BY ECSTASY SON BLAMES THE POLICE A Police officer who was attacked by his son with a 12in kitchen knife after the teenager had taken ecstasy said yesterday that the service had let him down because the drug was so readily available. He accused police chiefs of spending too much time pursuing international drug smugglers and major dealers while leaving untouched low-level pushers who targeted young people. The uniformed patrol officer, who declined to be identified because his 19-year-old son did not know he was making his speech, took the floor at the Police Federation annual conference in Bournemouth during a session on drugs. He recalled being at home late one Friday night when his son came in. He was "obviously high". After a brief conversation the boy picked up a kitchen knife and started threatening him. The father said he managed to escape to a bedroom, where he barricaded himself in. His son started attacking the door but gave up his weapon when other officers arrived. The father was not injured and persuaded colleagues not to arrest his son. "we dealt with it within the family," he said. He said his son had now realised the damage drugs were doing to him and had stopped taking them. He now had a job and, he added, "he's not a bad lad". The 50-year-old officer was later told by his son's friends that he had taken ecstasy and alcohol. One told him it was "as easy to buy drugs in pubs as it is to buy cigarettes". The constable, who has 30 years' experience, said: "When I was a young policeman, I used to be on foot patrol in the town centre - and not a week went by when I wasn't arresting people for procession of drugs. "My son is now 19 years of age and the problem still exists. We have never got a grip on it over that 30 years. It's no good just dealing with people on an international scale, the high-powered criminals. "In the meantime, people like my son are being subjected to local dealers and suffering the problems. I feel the police service has let me down as a parent". He said forces should target pubs and clubs where drugs were sold almost openly with the connivance of staff. "If you are running those premises properly, you have got to know what's going on, you have got to be turning a blind eye. Some of those people are abandoning their responsibility". The officer said chief constables should be tackling local drug dealers. "We have anti-burglary programmes, we have drink-drive programmes, we have excellent drugs squads, but they have been reduced in numbers in some forces". "We have never had chief constables saying we are going to target the drugs problem," he added. Keith Hellawell - the former chief constable and now the UK Anti Drugs Co-ordinator-told the meeting that one aim of the police was to "disrupt" local drug markets, including those in pubs and clubs. But he added that the police's "war on drugs" had not reduced supplies. "Just interfering, arresting, and seizing has not stopped the availability of drugs on our streets". Targets for increased arrests and seizures risked being "laid to waste" if enforcement was not backed up with treatment for addicts, he said. Sir Brian Mawhinney, Conservative spokesman on home affairs, told the conference that he wanted new powers for the police to ban convicted drug dealers from particular night-clubs or parts of town. His proposals would affect people who, in the view of police, appeared likely to cause "serious harm" to the public - for instance, by appearing to have started dealing again. Sir Brian criticised Tony Blair for entertaining drug users, such as pop stars, at 10 Downing Street. "Police officers and others who have to deal with the consequences of drug abuse on our streets every day do not want to see known drug abusers feted in Downing Street. Everyone knows that the message this sends is all wrong. Such an approach is not cool - it is downright irresponsible". - --- Checked-by: "Rolf Ernst"