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UK: Police Sued over 'Softly, Softly' Cannabis Policy
Nick Allen The Scotsman
Wednesday 26 May 2004 The Metropolitan Police is being sued over its "softly,softly" approach to cannabis possession. Papers have been lodged in the High Court claiming the controversial policy - launched in Lambeth, south London, in July 2001 - fuelled crime. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is also named in the application lodged by Lambeth resident Patrick Strahan. ACPO issued guidelines to the 43 police forces in England and Wales on when to arrest and when not to arrest cannabis-users following recent reclassification of the drug. Under the "softly, softly" scheme brought in by Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Brian Paddick - who was then Lambeth's police chief - people caught with small amounts of cannabis were given a formal warning rather than being arrested and charged. Hundreds of hours of police time were saved as a result, allowing police to tackle street crime and harder drugs. But opponents argued the experiment led to more drug dealers and users moving into the area and a boom in "drug tourism". Mr Strahan is suing Mr Paddick's successor, Chief Superintendent Dick Quinn, over the effects of the policy. The papers are likely to go before a judge soon who will decide whether there is a case. The "softly, softly" policy heralded the downgrading of cannabis from Class B to Class C. It was officially downgraded in January this year but police still retain powers of arrest. ACPO's guidelines say arrests should only be made in aggravated circumstances, such as smoking a joint outside a school. Police figures show there was a sharp increase in the number of people caught with cannabis in Lambeth following the introduction of the experiment. And Met Commissioner Sir John Stevens admitted recently that he made a "big mistake" only introducing the scheme in Lambeth, which he said became a "goldfish bowl". He said it should have been launched in several other London boroughs at the same time. A Met spokesman said: "We have been notified that a Brixton resident has lodged an application with the court of judicial review regarding the policing of cannabis possession in Lambeth. "Solicitors acting on the resident's behalf informed the Metropolitan Police and ACPO of the application on November 21, 2003. "The matter has been referred to Metropolitan Police solicitors."
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