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Tag: LEAP

  • The sound of the drug war slowly crumbling…

    …now includes police chiefs saying we should decriminalize small amounts of marijuana. It’s not that bold of a statement, but it is coming from an active chief of police!

    From Mlive:

    [Petersburg, Virginia, Police Chief John] Dixon said drug use and addiction ought to be addressed by public health officials, not police. He said that police often view drug arrests as signs of success, and as a way to help the user.

    “Why do I have to lock you up for that? What benefit am I giving you, then? We have to get out of the business. That should be the focus of the medical field.”

    The war on drugs has affected minority communities the most, he said.

    “It’s insanity. We know. The results haven’t changed.”

  • (Former) Narc in Vice

    Neill Franklin, once my commanding officer and now my friend (and coauthor) featured in Vice Magazine. I love Vice Magazine. And just because I’ve also been featured in it.

  • LEAP’s Peter Christ on Drug Prohibition

    Well played, Peter. Well played.

  • Two great things…

    LEAP and Vice. Together at last.

  • The War on Drugs is (Not) Over

    Despite the false promises of White House Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske, it’s the same old same old. This from LEAP’s Sean Dunagan:

    If
    you haven’t seen it, the National Drug Control Strategy and
    accompanying budget and performance summaries are out. Requested funding
    for 2013 totals $25.6 billion, a $415 million increase over last year.
    The allocation is 58.8% for law enforcement and interdiction (vs. 59.7%
    last year) and 41.8 percent for treatment and prevention (up from 40.3%
    last year). 

    Notably, the “prevention and treatment” funding includes
    gems like $20 million for the ludicrous “above the influence” media
    campaign and $5 million for mandatory drug testing. Despite the “change
    in strategy” spin, 58.8% is the same percentage that went to
    LE/interdiction in the 2008 drug control budget. 

    The request for
    domestic LE, $9.4 billion, is the highest amount ever and a $1.15
    billion increase over 08 (+ $61.4 million over last year). The request
    also seeks $120 million more for the BOP, $89.3 million more for
    interdiction, and $40.9 million more for DEA. Interestingly (at least
    to me), the request acknowledges that 51.4 percent of BOP’s budget is
    drug-related (p. 165). On a positive note, requested funding for
    treatment is up 4.6 percent.

     A billion here and a billion there, and pretty soon we’re talking about real money.

  • Legal Marijuana

    My friend, Neill Franklin of LEAP, spells it out (and does so far better than I could have).

  • Tony Bennett Is Great

    Tony Bennett Is Great

    I didn’t know that Tony Bennett came out for drug legalization.

    Tony Bennett is a hometown hero here in Astoria, Queens. I mean, I’ve had more than a few debates with old timers about how great Tony Bennett is. And it’s strange, because we’d both be on the same side.

    Old man: “Tony Bennett is great.”

    Me: “Yes, he is.”

    Old man: “Did you know he’s from Astoria?”

    Me: “Yes, I did. He sure is great.”

    Old man: “I’m telling you, he’s better than Frank.”

    Me: “I agree. He sure is. Frank is overrated. Tony, underrated.”

    Old man: “Tony Bennett is great, I tell you.”

    Me: “I couldn’t agree more.”

    And then they’d start getting all huffy.

    Tony Bennett, by the way way, returns the love (the video is worth watching, if you like Tony Bennett, and who doesn’t?):

    “The finest place to live,” Mr. Bennett, 82, said as he showed a reporter his favorite haunts [in Astoria]. “I’ve been all over the world — Paris and Florence and Capri — and yet I come back here and I like this better than any place I’ve ever lived.”

    So you may wonder why the fancy new public arts school here in Astoria in named the “Frank SinatraSchool of the Arts High School. I mean, Frank Sinatra isn’t from Astoria! And besides, as we all know, Tony Bennett is better than Frank.

    Well, it turned out that Tony Bennett wanted it this way. The whole school was his idea, but he declined the honor of having it named after him. He askedthat the school be named after his friend, Frank Sinatra. What a champ, Tony Bennett is. Did you know he’s from Astoria?

    In all that back and forth I almost missed this pieceby my fellow members of LEAP, Niell Franklin and Katharine Celantano, about Tony Bennett.

    I hear he’s a great man.

  • Seattle Police Union to Cops: Lay Low

    Seattle Timescolumnist Danny Westneat has a worrisome article in the paper:

    “You are paid to use your discretion and there are many ways to do police work. Recent events should show us that many in the city really don’t want aggressive officers who generate on-view incidents. They want officers who avoid controversy and simply respond when summoned by 911.”

    …

    What the union head is suggesting here is that the scrutiny of police is so severe right now, and so lopsided, that cops should mostly just respond, not initiate.

    “If there’s borderline criminal or suspicious activity, I say let it go,” O’Neill said when I asked him to elaborate. “Don’t go out on a limb. It’s not worth it.”

    …

    Won’t crime go up?

    “That might be a consequence,” O’Neill said. “But the leaders of this city need to decide how they want it around here.”

    Like I said: Uh-oh.

    [thanks to Sgt T]

  • Prop 19

    Here’s Neill Franklin, executive director of LEAP. He’s also my former commanding officer, friend (though not when he was my former commander), and co-author.

  • LEAP vs. Prohibition

    LEAP has made a parody of the Mac vs. PC ads, but about the war on drugs.