Editorials & Other Articles

bemildred

(90,061 posts) Sun Jun 17, 2012, 07:39 PM Jun 2012

A former L.A. cop calls for legalizing drugs

By Steve Lopez

June 17, 2012
Stephen Downing speaks fondly of his 20 years with the Los Angeles Police Department, saying he misses the camaraderie and the integrity of the people he worked with in a career that took him from street cop to deputy chief. Along the way, as commander of the Bureau of Investigations, he oversaw the Administrative Narcotics Division.

And so when we had lunch at a sidewalk cafe in Long Beach the other day, it was more than a little strange to hear this life-long Republican insist that for the sake of cops, and in the interest of logic and public safety, the United States ought to legalize drugs.

You might be tempted to ask yourself, OK, what's this guy smoking?

But he's never touched any illegal drugs, Downing insisted. Not one puff, and nary a snort.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0617-lopez-drugs-20120617,0,7270973.column

5 replies

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A former L.A. cop calls for legalizing drugs (Original Post) bemildred Jun 2012 OP

I think they should as well. They would take the crime element out of it, and add tax revenue teddy51 Jun 2012 #1

we'd have to lay off cops, judges, and jailers, reducing corporate profits. not happening nt msongs Jun 2012 #2

Read this too..please.. Stuart G Jun 2012 #3

Yes, I remember him. bemildred Jun 2012 #4

No kidding gopiscrap Jun 2012 #5

teddy51

(3,491 posts)

1. I think they should as well. They would take the crime element out of it, and add tax revenue

Reply to bemildred (Original post)

Sun Jun 17, 2012, 07:46 PM

Jun 2012

in.

msongs

(67,509 posts)

2. we'd have to lay off cops, judges, and jailers, reducing corporate profits. not happening nt

Reply to bemildred (Original post)

Sun Jun 17, 2012, 07:54 PM

Jun 2012

Stuart G

(38,458 posts)

3. Read this too..please..

Reply to bemildred (Original post)

Sun Jun 17, 2012, 08:07 PM

Jun 2012

It had to be the late 80s, early 90s, at the latest, I taped the Chief of Police of Oakland saying exactly the same thing.
I was going to use it in a class that I taught on contemporary history in high school, I don't think I did. I wish I could give an exact date
and person saying it..can't..
It had to be at least 20 years ago.. I recall he said violent crime would immediately be cut 25 percent. It is odd, how much money and pain would be saved if....we do this..
But there is a legal prison industry and more.. around illegal drugs that may be more ugly than many of the illegal drug sales themselves.

bemildred

(90,061 posts)

4. Yes, I remember him.

Reply to Stuart G (Reply #3)

Sun Jun 17, 2012, 08:11 PM

Jun 2012

Or maybe it's the guy from San Jose I'm thinking of.

gopiscrap

(23,768 posts)

5. No kidding

Reply to Stuart G (Reply #3)

Sun Jun 17, 2012, 10:12 PM

Jun 2012

it's all the assholes who are making profits off of the sickness and misery of those who have substance abuse problems and those who have such bleak futures and little support that they have to resort to selling.

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