Pubdate: Tue, 17 Oct 2000 Source: News & Star (UK) Copyright: 2000 News & Star Contact: Newspaper House, Dalston Road, Carlisle CA2 5UA Fax: 594088 Website: http://www.news-and-star.co.uk/ Author: Victoria Brenan CANNABIS: USE YOUR DISCRETION, PCs TOLD ALL police officers have the power to exercise their own discretion when they come across cannabis offences, Cumbria's Chief Constable said today. Responding to concerns from his force following his comments in last week's Cumberland News, Colin Phillips has e-mailed his officers to explain his stance. Last week he told the Cumberland News he would do nothing if cannabis was smoked in front of him at a friend's house, and that he believed its legalisation was inevitable. As the debate about legalisation rages on nationally, Mr Phillips has told his force that he cannot order them to arrest or otherwise, and they must make their own decisions based on factors at the time. Mr Phillips's comments last week were picked up by the national media and put to the Prime Minister on Radio 4, but the Chief Constable has refused all other interviews, and spoken only to the News & Star and The Cumberland News. He released the e-mail he has sent to his officers to the News & Star. In it he says: "In line with Government strategy, this force targets dealers and suppliers rather than users, and focuses of heroin and cocaine rather than cannabis. "A person in possession of a small amount of cannabis for their own use is likely to be cautioned." Mr Phillips said that in answering the question put to him about what he would do if he encountered cannabis in a social situation, he reflected force policies. "I would use my discretion not to arrest in a social setting, when no complaint was made and no other offences were evident," he added. "All officers have the power to exercise their own discretion in similar circumstances, I cannot order them to arrest or not. They must make their own decision based on factors at the time." His comments follow reported concerns from officers that their chief officer was advocating ignoring a criminal offence. If they did the same, said one, they could face disciplinary proceedings. Mr Phillips told the News & Star today:" I don't regret what I said in the original interview and I stand by it. "What has angered me is the national media picking it up and reporting that I am in favour of decriminalisation. I'm not at this moment in time. If you ask me that question again in the future, that answer might be different." A spokesman from the police Federation of England and wales said a police officer would not be facing disciplinary action if he or she failed to arrest someone using cannabis.