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UK: Giuliani criticises drug stance

BBC Online

Friday 15 Feb 2002

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Rudolph Giuliani has criticised the "relaxed" attitude police in London
have shown to cannabis saying the drug causes violence.
The former New York mayor delivered his verdict during a visit to the UK
to receive an honorary knighthood.

Mr Giuliani's comments were made after he had been told about the pilot
scheme in Lambeth, where users caught with small amounts of cannabis are
avoiding prosecution.

However, the Metropolitan Police has defended the scheme by saying it
was being constantly reviewed.

The Met introduced the pilot last July. Supporters say it has saved
thousands of hours of police time.

Mr Giuliani is famed for his "broken windows" policy which helped to
slash crime in New York by targeting small and anti-social offences.

Asked about the Lambeth scheme, he said he would arrest anyone for
possession of cannabis.

"Marijuana caused a lot of the violence we had," he said.

"I would encourage the police to arrest as many of them [drug users] as
possible."

Former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik added that one of the
worst crimes in New York recently, the Carnegie Deli murders, were tied
up with the drug.

He said: "We had one of the most heinous incidents in a long time in
which three people were killed and two injured.

"People were shot in the head execution style.

'Magic solution'

"It was all to do with marijuana - it is not a victimless crime."

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens defended the policy:
"It is being independently assessed.

"Cannabis is not legalised, this is a pilot scheme and we will wait and
see."

Sir John welcomed news that both mayor Ken Livingstone and Home
Secretary David Blunkett wanted to see the number of police officers in
London rise to New York levels.

He said the Met's recent crackdown in crime-ridden parts of London had
seen 1,600 arrests and street crime down by up to 15%.

Mr Giuliani said: "Nobody has a magic solution to crime but there is no
doubt the more police officers you have the more effective you can be."


 

 

 

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