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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Police chief 'attracted by anarchy'
John Steele, Crime Correspondent Daily Telegraph
Wednesday 20 Feb 2002 BRIXTON'S police commander, who spearheaded a low-key approach to cannabis possession and presides over the highest mugging rate in London, has provoked further debate by saying he is attracted by anarchy. Cdr Brian Paddick is reported in the most recent edition of the Big Issue to have confirmed that he is the author of messages to a website, well known for discussions of direct action, drugs and anarchism, in the name of "Brian: The Commander". Scotland Yard said yesterday that Cdr Paddick, 43, was on holiday in Australia and uncontactable and therefore unable to defend himself. Sources, however, suspected he was correctly identified as "The Commander". There was a resigned air at the Yard about the latest comments from Cdr Paddick, who is regarded as one of the Met's most unorthodox officers. On the website, www.urban75.com, there have been 25 contributions from "The Commander" - who describes his interests as "police, gay issues, drugs". The "Commander" said: "The concept of anarchism has always appealed to me. The idea of the innate goodness of the individual that is corrupted by society or the system. "It is a theoretical argument but I am not sure everyone would behave well if there were no laws and no system." In a discussion about drugs, which he stresses are "damaging my community" he says: "We need to take the criminality out of it by legalisation and strict control. "We need to educate people as to the effects drugs will have on them short term/long term and allow those old enough to make their own decision about what they do to their bodies. The bottom line is, screw the dealers, help the addicts. "The "Commander" says police in Brixton keep attacking the "weed" of drug dealers but it re-appears because there is continuing demand from people visiting Lambeth, the area including Brixton, to buy drugs.
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