cannabisnews.com: Police Support Pot Initiative Police Support Pot Initiative Posted by CN Staff on August 06, 2002 at 13:29:51 PT By Ed Koch Source: Las Vegas Sun The state's largest police organization today endorsed the marijuana initiative.The board of the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs, an umbrella group that has 3,000 members and represents about 65 percent of the state's street patrol officers, voted 9-0 to support the proposed constitutional change that would decriminalize possession of up to three ounces of marijuana. "I was a Metro Police officer for 28 years and I spent a lot of time booking people on marijuana charges that never went to court," said NCOP President Andy Anderson, former president of the Police Protective Association union."It would take anywhere from a couple of hours for a single arrest to about half my shift if there was a line at the booking window or multiple arrests -- time that could have been better spent on the streets addressing violent crime."Billy Rogers, spokesman for Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, which supports Question 9, said this is the first police group to break ranks and support the initiative."The perception in Nevada was that all law enforcement agencies would line up against this measure, but this endorsement shows that we did listen to what police wanted when this bill was drafted," Rogers aid.Anderson said safeguards in the bill that include strict penalties for people who smoke marijuana in public, sell pot to minors or drive under the influence and kill people, played a big role in his group endorsing it."We do not support the smoking of marijuana," Anderson said. "But violent crime is on the rise and terrorism remains a real threat. Our priorities in law enforcement have changed and, with out limited resources, so should our laws."Nevada changed its marijuana laws last year, making it a misdemeanor for possession of less than one ounce instead of a felony.Question 9, which was put on the ballot by the Marijuana Policy Project, would have to pass in November and again in 2004 to become law.Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors have come out against the initiative saying it would create more problems for police officers and prosecutors with the potential for additional crime and driving the influence incidents, as well as encourage use by minors.Metro Police Detective David Kallas, executive director of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, had just returned from a trip out of town and didn't know about the vote. He said he is against the initiative because it does not address the "larger problem" problem of drug trafficking."Both personally and professionally, while you've eased the burden of the user, you haven't assisted law enforcement with the overall problem of drug trafficking," he said. "The people who purchase it still have to purchase it somewhere."Source: Las Vegas Sun (NV)Author: Ed Koch Published: August 6, 2002Copyright: 2002 Las Vegas Sun, Inc.Contact: letters lasvegassun.comWebsite: http://www.lasvegassun.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:NRLEhttp://www.nrle.org/Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Nevada Voters Evenly Split on Pot Issue http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13637.shtmlDEA Director Criticizes Marijuana Ballot Measurehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13388.shtmlMarijuana Proposal To Be On Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13351.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #21 posted by freedom fighter on August 07, 2002 at 19:23:57 PT Dancing a Texas Two-Step Dance! Oooops! I dunno what is the favorite dance down in Nevada! Good Job FoM, that means we got 6 more weeks to contact thousands of Nevadans and express hope. I got a relative down there and I'm going give her a call..Fast, Fast, Slow, Slow, Fast, Fast, Slow, Slow!ff [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by i420 on August 07, 2002 at 05:25:50 PT Do you Yahoo ?? Wow!! I am impressed. Now everyone get on yahooo and search for people from Nevada and message them !! [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by Phasetheory on August 07, 2002 at 01:15:25 PT Stands to reason Of course when you think about it the police officers themselves would support this. They know as well as anybody that marijuana smokers pose no threat on society. I remember watching this story on the news and remember that the police were against it at the time.But then I remembered, they interviewed someone high up. Like the chief of police in some large city. Of course they're against it. If drugs were legalized they would lose nearly half of their funding! [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by Prime on August 06, 2002 at 23:24:19 PT Sheriff Bill Masters... is one of the coolest guys around. He recently wrote a book called "Addicted to the Drug War". He tells a story about traveling to Quantico, VA (FBI Headquarters) to take part in a child abduction case and being shoved aside to allow for DEA cases. Child abduction is a lower priority than drugs.This is huge. 9-0 Thats slam shut. And this is 2 weeks after John Walters and his assistant asked the Las Vegas DARE Police to spread the propaganda through the community.Can anyone say Yuca Mountain? [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by Zero_G on August 06, 2002 at 21:33:02 PT Good Cop Here's your donut.Yes, this really is good news and I do thank those officers for speaking out.But I couldn't resist... [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by Jose Melendez on August 06, 2002 at 21:07:04 PT just found searchable audio server http://speechbot.research.compaq.com/very cool, type in marijuana or cannabis [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by canaman on August 06, 2002 at 20:36:36 PT Police on our side? This is big news.....maybe the straw that breaks the camels back. I believe most police who walk the beat don't really want to be bothered with mj. Most enter the force with high ideals to "serve and protect". Some become addicted to the lure of easy money busting users and taking their assets. A few might think ruining peoples lives is the right thing to do. While the cops with real morals are left writing tickets and looking the other way or going after real criminals. I hope this empowers more "good police" to speak out! [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by FoM on August 06, 2002 at 20:13:00 PT Nevada Registration Information What are Nevada's other voter registration requirements? To vote in Nevada, you must be a U.S. citizen, be at least 18 years of age (or turn 18 by the next election), be a resident of Nevada for 30 days preceding the election, and not have been declared insane. When do I need to register to vote? You can register any time. However, in order to vote in an election, you must be registered at least 30 days before that election. Where do I go to register? Registration is available at many places in Nevada, including your County Clerk's office, state service agencies, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Welfare Division. If you believe you are eligible to vote and encounter difficulty registering, please contact the election administration office of the Nevada Secretary of State: 101 North Carson Street, Suite 3 Carson City, Nevada 89701 (775) 684-5705 (voice) (775) 684-5718 (fax) http://www.sos.state.nv.us/nvelection [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on August 06, 2002 at 19:59:56 PT Not all states When I've moved recently, you can get your drivers licence the same day - because you have to pay for it. Since those pesky laws forbid charging the voter any money, the voter registration process tends to take a lot longer - like a month. What bugged me was, I was only changing states, and I still couldn't vote for the president? Just the president? I'm gonna vote for Harry Browne anyways, lady, just let me dangle my chad for the American Way and it won't change squat, but... no can do sir, rules are rules. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by nevada420 on August 06, 2002 at 19:52:46 PT: Lookin' Good! This is going well. It will be interesting to see what the feds do. Yes, the same feds who shove the country's nuclear waste down our throat! [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by freedom fighter on August 06, 2002 at 18:55:42 PT culebra Not all states will let you register and vote on the same day. In Colorado, we are going to vote on that issue this coming Nov... Just a thought...ff [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by culebra on August 06, 2002 at 17:34:56 PT How Sweet It Is Before I read this I was mildly optimistic about the chances this bill has of passing. I am now thoroughly encouraged. I am sure many LEO's agree with this stance but, like many people with rational opinions about drug policy, are afraid to speak their mind.GCW-I am not sure how it is in NV, but everywhere I have lived it has been possible to register on election day. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by The GCW on August 06, 2002 at 16:58:28 PT When is the deadline date for people to REGISTER to vote?The effort to have people vote that would not ordinarily vote, will need to work with in this timeframe to some extent.Now, ask Your self, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by The GCW on August 06, 2002 at 16:24:26 PT Highly appropriate to call the police. It would do well to call the people responsible and tell them thank YOu and explain that it helps with YOur feelings about the law enforcement community, when they become receptive to such high level regard for Truth.As England, Canada, and others have made various announcements and inuendos, indicating and out right intentions of easing up the laws on cannabis, it seems that it is followed by potential sabotoge from the government freak show, and slow or halt momentum.CALL THE POLICE.Let's take even the unforeseen momentum and energies it.When in casual conversation, fit it in: HEY, DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE IN NV. TO CONTACT AND HELP MAKE THE CHANGE, 'CAUSE IT IS TIME TO STOP CAGING HUMANS FOR USING A PLANT. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by AlvinCool on August 06, 2002 at 15:42:13 PT Cool isn't it? "what happened to all those puffy prosecuters uttering their doomtalk about how law enforcement is opposed to this"They didn't have a say in this organization. These are just police officers. You can bet that ASA will be contacting the prosecuters and licking their ears. I look at the statment from the, apparently, single detective that was out of town. He wonders where they will be able to purchase the cannabis. You think they even finish reading an article about this? Certainly he understands that the state will grow, package and sell it? In fact as a city/state employee he might have to water some plants. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on August 06, 2002 at 15:22:14 PT WOW! is right. At first I thought this was a LEAP press release then I saw the Nevada word and the three oz thing: it took a few moments to register.what happened to all those puffy prosecuters uttering their doomtalk about how law enforcement is opposed to this? Where did they go?This is great news. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by The GCW on August 06, 2002 at 15:18:44 PT MORE MEDIA. American Justice 10th Anniversary Show We, the Jury Wednesday, August 7, 2002 9:00 pm (EDT) A&E Networkhttp://www.aande.com/tv/shows/amerjustice/At the heart of the American system of justice sits the jury. It's one of the most cherished and most ridiculed rights in this country. In poll after poll, Americans have listed the trial by jury as one this country's most important institutions, but almost everyone knows the sinking feeling of getting a jury summons in the mail. Even so, few know what the gritty reality of the jury room feels like or how 12 ordinary Americans come together to render justice.Over the last decade, the jury system has come under attack as never before. Can juries be impartial? Are they too easily manipulated? In short, are today's juries up to the task, or is the jury system itself a relic, a leftover from simpler times? Our 2-hour anniversary special looks back at ten years of AMERICAN JUSTICE, and some of our nation's most famous cases involving names like Simpson, Menendez, Rodney King and Reginald Denny.Also featured will be the case of Laura Kriho, a Colorado juror who was prosecuted for contempt of court after she refused to convict a defendant in a drug case. Ms. Kriho is an organizer for the Colorado Hemp Initiative Project. *************************************************************** Re-distributed as a public service by the: Colorado Hemp Initiative Project P.O. Box 729, Nederland, CO 80466 Vmail: (303) 448-5640 Email: http://www.levellers.org/cohip "Fighting over 60 years of lies and dis-information with 10,000 years of history and fact." [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by The GCW on August 06, 2002 at 15:14:10 PT This makes sense. The wall gets a jolt. Police work must require real honest assessments of things around them, YOu'd think.Not being able to see the Truth can cost a cop their life.Only a blinded cop, would not know caging a human for using cannabis is dysfunctional. OOH LA LA The GCWAnd from the desk of Rob KampiaThe Marijuana Policy Project's initiative campaign in Nevada has done the impossible: We have secured the endorsement of the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs. With more than 3,000 members statewide, NCOPS is the largest police association in Nevada."As a former law-enforcement officer, I know that a simple marijuana arrest takes me off the street for half my shift," said NCOPS President Andy Anderson today as he announced his organization's ground-breaking endorsement. "Passage of Question 9 will ensure that more cops are on the streets to protect our citizens from violent crime and the threat of terrorism."If you are a student of marijuana policy reform, you know that law-enforcement officials are usually the primary opponents of reform. Now, with the police on our side in Nevada, it's hard to imagine who our opponents will be. (Indeed, the Nevada Secretary of State couldn't even find anyone to debate our campaign manager during two live call-in TV shows on July 22 and 23!)Our campaign operation in Nevada is doing everything right. So it's important that we all pitch in to ensure that they have the $100,000's they need in order to be able to run hard-hitting TV ads at the end of this campaign.If you have not yet become a part of this historic campaign, would you please donate $10 or more at http://www.NRLE.org ? "Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement" is the name of our PAC in Nevada. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on August 06, 2002 at 14:28:22 PT Supply >>"The people who purchase it still have to purchase it somewhere." The initiative mentions "licenced establishments". Sounds like the Dutch coffeeshop system or something like it. Did David Kallas miss that part? Read the text of the initiative [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Robbie on August 06, 2002 at 14:03:21 PT HOLY S**T! There couldnt be a better endorsement!GO NEVADA!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by whatever on August 06, 2002 at 13:47:22 PT wow i hope this passes....i didn't think a law enforcement agency would endorse it and here they are doing it. will this make a difference with the conservative voters that the police support this initiative? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment