Retired Cop Waves White Flag in War on Drugs

The Standard-Times (MA) ^ | 15 Jan 2003 | John Doherty

[MrLeRoy]

After fighting the war on drugs for nearly 30 years, Lt. Jack Cole is ready to admit defeat.

The retired New Jersey State Police detective -- who spent 12 years as an undercover narcotics officer -- spearheads a movement to legalize all narcotics as a way of ending the bloody, expensive war.

"The war on drugs was, is and always will be a dismal failure," said Mr. Cole yesterday to a meeting of the Fairhaven Rotary Club.

Mr. Cole is one of the founders of an international nonprofit group called Law Enforcement Against Prohibition -- LEAP.

That group, which includes current and former police officers, judges and others, is proposing nothing short of legalizing all narcotics -- including heroin, cocaine and marijuana -- and having the federal government regulate them.

While that might sound radical for a detective who spent the better part of his career looking to jail both users and sellers of drugs, Mr. Cole said it is the only rational viewpoint after a career on the front lines of the war on drugs.

While spending what Mr. Cole estimates to be $69 billion per year in law enforcement and prison costs for drug offenders, Americans have seen drug supplies become more plentiful and the drugs themselves more powerful and cheaper.

Mr. Cole acknowledged to the dozen Rotarians yesterday that the idea of legalizing narcotics -- similar to policies in Amsterdam -- sounds foreign.

The first question many people ask is whether drug decriminalization will increase drug use, especially among the young.

Mr. Cole pointed to studies in which young Americans said it was easier to obtain marijuana and other drugs than it was to purchase government-regulated alcohol and tobacco products.

Holland sees a lower rate of marijuana use among its young people, in part because decriminalization has made the drug boring, Mr. Cole said.

"We at LEAP are asking you to listen and to think about these ideas," said Mr. Cole, who is pursuing a doctorate in public policy at UMass Boston.

[MrLeRoy]

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[dirtboy]

I'm sure Kevin Curry will be coming along soon to slime Lt. Cole. Now if the Lieutennant had shot a dog, then Kevin would be all for him...

[Kerberos]

I have know more than one cop who has become cynical about the WOD after coming to the realization that it is nothing more than a hustle perpetrated on the American public.

[Blood of Tyrants]

It is far from happening. Too many judges and politicians and bureauracrats on the take.

[per loin]

30 years, and already he's come to his senses. Quick thinker.

[per loin]

30 years, and already he's come to his senses. Quick thinker.

[Eagle Eye]

I have know more than one cop who has become cynical about the WOD after coming to the realization that it is nothing more than a hustle perpetrated on the American public.

I have known more than one DEA agent who has become cynical about the WOD after coming to the realization that it is nothing more than a hustle perpetrated on the American public.

To support the current WoD, one must also support militarily trained US federal agents actively engaged in paramilitary operations in (at least) Central and South America.

[kinghorse]

Did you think he would say something while drawing a check?

Get real.

[BibChr]

Yeah, I understand theft continues even though cops try to catch thieves. Same with murder. Well, rape, fraud, violence and kidnapping too.

Better admit failure and legalize all crimes.

Makes good druggie sense.

Dan

[MrLeRoy]

30 years, and already he's come to his senses. Quick thinker.

Better late than never.

[Dead Corpse]

Come on now Dan. The flaw in that logic has been pointed out so many times you should really be ashamed of yourself.

Crime perpetrated on a victim is one this, someone doing themselves harm is completely different.

Knock it off already. People may begin to think you are dim witted.

[Wolfie]

Yep. I noticed he didn't get his thinkin' straight until AFTER he stopped collecting a paycheck from it. Better late than never, I guess.

[Dead Corpse]

Come on now Dan. The flaw in that logic has been pointed out so many times you should really be ashamed of yourself.

Crime perpetrated on a victim is one thing, someone doing themselves harm is completely different.

Knock it off already. People may begin to think you are dim witted.

[MrLeRoy]

I understand theft continues even though cops try to catch thieves. Same with murder. Well, rape, fraud, violence and kidnapping too.

Better admit failure and legalize all crimes.

Unlike drug "crimes," the crimes you mention all have victims---which means that they (unlike drugs) are the legitimate business of government, and that existing and potential victims (or next of kin) stand ready to resist the crime and assist in catching the criminal.

[Tony Niar Brain]

The more I read the more I hear about cops that are saying the War on Drugs is fundamentally unwinnable. This is a free, capitalist democracy after all, and when demand for something is as high as it is for psychoactive chemicals, markets are created that route around little annoyances like federal and state government prohibition.

The Puritan, gut-reaction to drugs in this country is overwhelming at time. Me, I fancy myself a pragmatist, and when we pour so much of our national resources into something for so long that shows no sign of decisive results, I think we need to get out of it, cut our losses, and go back to the drawing board.

[Kerberos]

"To support the current WoD, one must also support militarily trained US federal agents actively engaged in paramilitary operations in (at least) Central and South America. "

True, but experience has shown me that if you try to bring that aspect of the WOD to supporters attention they really go bananas. Therefore, I usually leave that one on the back burner. But one only has to ask themselves, how do you think we fund many of these adventures?

[Wolfie]

...nothing more than a hustle...

If you haven't already seen it, check out the section entitled "The Fed: Michael Levine" from the link below.

Battlefield Conversions

[FreeTally]

Must be a George Soros plant or a closet dope head. Nothing else would explain why a brave officer would state such opinions when he spent 30 years of his life dodging bullets from deranged hippies and violent coke heads.