How to REALLY Fix the LE And Crime Issues

I think one of the biggest wholistic ways of solving a lot of our issues with law enforcement and crime rates is handling our addiction problems in America. When you watch shows like cops or live PD, or going on a ride along, or just talking with law enforcement (and even firemen and ems)...it becomes clear how BAD our addiction problems are here. And it really does seem like we deal with it poorly (which includes prescribing drugs to treat drugs if understand it correctly). And so my big question to ask now for everyone...is how should we be treating addicts from a law enforcement perspective?

And keep in mind that addiction is a disease BUT...at some point there must be consequences for certain actions. Being disorderly in public (like passing out drunk/high in a kitchen of a restaurant), DUI and putting lives in danger, fighting, and so on. And so it is hard for me personally to say "legalize it" because it doesn't solve the problems either. And it doesn't make those behaviors go away (look at alcoholism). So. What do you think needs to happen from a LEO perspective?

The crowd is not the sum of its parts.

I am a republican who did not vote for Trump (Or Hillary).

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blackjack50 said:

I think one of the biggest wholistic ways of solving a lot of our issues with law enforcement and crime rates is handling our addiction problems in America. When you watch shows like cops or live PD, or going on a ride along, or just talking with law enforcement (and even firemen and ems)...it becomes clear how BAD our addiction problems are here. And it really does seem like we deal with it poorly (which includes prescribing drugs to treat drugs if understand it correctly). And so my big question to ask now for everyone...is how should we be treating addicts from a law enforcement perspective?

And keep in mind that addiction is a disease BUT...at some point there must be consequences for certain actions. Being disorderly in public (like passing out drunk/high in a kitchen of a restaurant), DUI and putting lives in danger, fighting, and so on. And so it is hard for me personally to say "legalize it" because it doesn't solve the problems either. And it doesn't make those behaviors go away (look at alcoholism). So. What do you think needs to happen from a LEO perspective?

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IMHO, LEOs would prefer a three strikes and they never have to deal with you again law. Addicts, causing police interaction, are often career criminals.

blackjack50 said:

I think one of the biggest wholistic ways of solving a lot of our issues with law enforcement and crime rates is handling our addiction problems in America. When you watch shows like cops or live PD, or going on a ride along, or just talking with law enforcement (and even firemen and ems)...it becomes clear how BAD our addiction problems are here. And it really does seem like we deal with it poorly (which includes prescribing drugs to treat drugs if understand it correctly). And so my big question to ask now for everyone...is how should we be treating addicts from a law enforcement perspective?

And keep in mind that addiction is a disease BUT...at some point there must be consequences for certain actions. Being disorderly in public (like passing out drunk/high in a kitchen of a restaurant), DUI and putting lives in danger, fighting, and so on. And so it is hard for me personally to say "legalize it" because it doesn't solve the problems either. And it doesn't make those behaviors go away (look at alcoholism). So. What do you think needs to happen from a LEO perspective?

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This is a great question, and one I've been thinking about for many years. There is only 1 drug we should legalize, and that is MJ. And that is mainly for economic reasons. The rest we should decriminalize, and offer through outpatient hospital programs. Having drugs administered to addicts by medical professionals, and requiring them to get counseling for access to the drugs will bring addiction down and bring ODs way down.

Part of the problem is this stuff is pushed on addicts in the black market. We need to switch the DEA off pot and gear them towards black market dealers in the hard stuff. While at the same time offering addicts a safe alternative with a clear way out.

Law Enforcement should acknowledge that addicts are not criminals, addiction is a disease and these people need help. While at the same time taking a harder stance on black market dealers pushing poison on communities. An addict should feel comfortable telling an officer about his addiction, take it from me the police can be a great comfort in a terrible time in your life. And they should be, need to be instrumental in getting addicts into hospital addiction programs.

Legalizing Medical Marijuana on the federal level, and allowing doctors to write actual prescriptions instead of recommendations will provide a safer alternative to many addictive drugs.

Oh and we need to get off the stigma of hiring addicts, and former addicts. The more stable their life, the better it will go for them.

The notion that the government can stop people from ingesting certain substances is absurd. There is no evidence whatsoever that 40 or 50 years of trying to do so has ever worked in that effort.

There is, however, abundant evidence that show that the efforts cause many social pathologies, not the least of which is the corruption of the police departments and the criminal justice system.

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition exists for good reasons.

blackjack50 said:

I think one of the biggest wholistic ways of solving a lot of our issues with law enforcement and crime rates is handling our addiction problems in America. When you watch shows like cops or live PD, or going on a ride along, or just talking with law enforcement (and even firemen and ems)...it becomes clear how BAD our addiction problems are here. And it really does seem like we deal with it poorly (which includes prescribing drugs to treat drugs if understand it correctly). And so my big question to ask now for everyone...is how should we be treating addicts from a law enforcement perspective?

And keep in mind that addiction is a disease BUT...at some point there must be consequences for certain actions. Being disorderly in public (like passing out drunk/high in a kitchen of a restaurant), DUI and putting lives in danger, fighting, and so on. And so it is hard for me personally to say "legalize it" because it doesn't solve the problems either. And it doesn't make those behaviors go away (look at alcoholism). So. What do you think needs to happen from a LEO perspective?

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Legalizing some drugs does not equal an 'everything is ok' policy. It's not an 'either/or' between one extreme and the other. Alcohol is legal, yet still has (mostly) reasonable restrictions regarding how you can act in public when under its influence. Marijuana should be the same.

But to your intended question, I think we should get tougher, but not in a 'lock 'em up' sense. Multiple emergency calls should require a mandatory confinement in a rehab facility, not a simple jail. By multiple I mean 3, or maybe 2 within 30 days of each other, or whatever. I'm open to discussing the criteria and am just talking concept right now.

On a side note: Early this week I had some major dental work done, and the dentist asked what kinds of pain killers I was comfortable with and had taken before. I couldn't think of any except Tylenol w/Codine (sp?). He seemed relieved and said that's a lower-level narcotic and would be a good option. It was obvious to me that he is very aware of this issue and doesn't want to prescribe major stuff, unless truly necessary. It could be that he's gotten generic warning letters, or he's just conscientious, or both.

Thoreau72 said:

The notion that the government can stop people from ingesting certain substances is absurd. There is no evidence whatsoever that 40 or 50 years of trying to do so has ever worked in that effort.

There is, however, abundant evidence that show that the efforts cause many social pathologies, not the least of which is the corruption of the police departments and the criminal justice system.

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition exists for good reasons.

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Humans have been seeking mood altering substances since the beginning of time. It's never been 100% quashed, and I'd bet a mortgage payment it never will be.