Pubdate: Fri, 15 Jun 2012
Source: Nelson Star (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Black Press
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/4kNvY8sy
Website: http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/nelsonstar/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4866
Author: Megan Cole
Cited: Stop the Violence BC: http://stoptheviolencebc.org/
Cited: transcript:
http://thenelsondaily.com/news/nelson-council-debates-legalization-pot-19460

DIALOGUE SPURRED BY STOP THE VIOLENCE BC MOTION

Regardless of outcome Monday night, city's police chief says there is 
merit in opening up the discussion

Nelson's police chief sees the Stop the Violence BC campaign as a way 
to spark an important dialogue around the nation's marijuana policies.

"What I feel comfortable saying now, is based on past experience 
proposals such as this one start a conversation," said Nelson Police 
Department chief Wayne Holland. "They rejuvenate a debate that has 
been going on for decades.

"As a citizen and a police officer, I don't really expect that this 
proposal or any other one that comes down the road is going to be 100 
per cent the solution. But it might just come up with one or two 
strategies or fix one piece of it in benefit of our society."

Stop the Violence BC campaign is an educational campaign introduced 
by a coalition of academics, past and present law enforcement members 
and the general public asking for a regulatory framework aimed at 
limiting use and starving organized crime.

A motion was brought before Nelson city council on Monday night 
asking for Mayor John Dooley to sign a letter in support of the campaign.

Dooley mentioned Holland - who was not present at Monday's meeting - 
during what became an explosive expression of his disapproval of the motion.

"As a matter of fact, I have a report here from a police chief that 
outlines many of the holes that are in it. Our police chief. And it 
has not even gone by the police board yet," Dooley said during the meeting.

The motion as presented by Councillor Donna Macdonald asked for 
Dooley to write a letter in support of the campaign, but could not be 
fulfilled without the mayor's support. It was tabled for discussion 
until after the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention 
in September and was passed.

Holland expressed empathy for the decision the municipality is facing 
around Stop the Violence and said there is room for growth and room 
to move forward "and I think that's what this proposal is going to do."

"When I look at the policy I can see some good objectives, but I can 
also see places where the policy will not perhaps do all it can in 
the public's mind to ameliorate any danger to our youth or keep 
people inappropriately using the drug whether it be driving while 
under the influence or whether they are out in public or out in their 
personal lifestyle," he said.

At the council meeting, Dooley also spoke about his concerns over how 
the marijuana trade has direct ties to the dealing of harder drugs 
like cocaine.

While Holland couldn't speak specifically about cocaine in Nelson he 
said, "there is absolutely cocaine in our community. Whether that is 
the result of marijuana being exported and then it being brought back 
here... certainly that is suggested and that is what has been 
discovered through police projects over the past few decades. That 
shouldn't come as surprise to anyone here. I don't think this 
proposal is saying if we do what is proposed it will cure the 
organized crime problem."

A main objective of the Stop the Violence BC is through regulation to 
"starve" organized crime.

"I don't think any community large or small is of the firm belief 
that organized crime doesn't touch them, even on a daily basis in 
communities such as Nelson or in other larger communities. It is 
everywhere," he said. "I think that someone would have to be living 
in a cave to suggest that organized crime connected to marijuana 
isn't thriving in this community."

Holland will be meeting with the Nelson Police Board and provincial 
municipal police chiefs at the end of this month.

He expects the campaign to be part of the discussion.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom