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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Retiring police chief blasts Blunkett's 'drugs bureaucracy'
Ananova
Friday 16 Aug 2002 The retiring Chief Constable of the second largest police force in the UK has attacked the drugs policy of David Blunkett. Sir Edward Crew, head of West Midlands Police, accuses him of creating "more bureaucracy" for officers. Under the Home Secretary's plans, cannabis will be reclassified as a less dangerous drug so possession is no longer an arrestable offence. The move from Class B to Class C, revealed last month, means the drug will be effectively decriminalised by July next year. "I am not very comfortable with the decision if I am frank," said SIr Edward. "I think it is the wrong decision in the message it sends out and in terms of implementation it is going to be very difficult. "The possession with the intent to supply and the supply of cannabis will still remain a serious offence, indeed with an increased penalty. "But for my officers, in recent times, the enforcement of the possession of cannabis has not been a priority. "Unless there are any aggravating factors under new powers of arrest officers will have no alternative, if they wish to prosecute the individual, by the way of issuing a summons. "That is much more of a bureaucratic process than arresting someone and charging them - we are meant to be reducing bureaucracy for police officers." Sir Edward, 56, has been a controversial figure with his rank and file. The force's Police Federation issued a notice of loss of confidence in him last year accusing him of overseeing a loss of morale among officers.
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