Pubdate: Mon, 15 Sep 2014
Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)
Copyright: 2014 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://host.madison.com/wsj/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506
Author: Nico Savidge

MIKE KOVAL: ACKNOWLEDGE FAILURE OF MARIJUANA LAWS

Madison Police Chief Mike Koval came out in support of legalizing 
marijuana last week.

Below, you'll find some of his expanded comments from an interview 
with the State Journal in which he endorsed legalizing the drug and 
using tax revenue from its sale to support drug treatment programs.

The comments came soon after Koval said his department must enforce 
laws against marijuana because the state prohibits it. Asked how he 
would like Wisconsin to treat the drug, Koval responded:

"I would like us to see -- much like we've seen in those pioneering 
states (Washington and Colorado) -- a discussion of decriminalizing 
it, regulating it, taxing it, and then using the funds and monies 
generated .. (for) treatment programs, drug courts and other things 
that go to the core of our more substantive drug users."

Koval was then asked if he was offering an endorsement of 
legalization. He said, "I think at the end of the day, we've done 
such an abysmal job using marijuana as a centerpiece of drug 
enforcement, that it's time to reorder and triage the necessities of 
what's more important now.

"We have an infinite amount of challenges when it comes . to 
substantive drug use leading to addictive proclivities in our 
community -- i.e. the cocaines and the heroins.

"It's clear to me that ... the crusade on marijuana has been a 
palpable failure -- an abject failure. So let's acknowledge the 
failure for what it is and rededicate ourselves to looking at a 
different ordering, and prioritizing (of) what we as a community feel 
is a better way to deal with people who have addictions."

Later, a State Journal reporter followed up with Koval in an email 
exchange to clarify whether or not he was in favor of full marijuana 
legalization, and Koval said he was.

He added, "I believe that policing efforts and our criminal justice 
system would be better served by taking a closer look at who it is 
that we are incarcerating. In my opinion, those who are in jail or 
prison for possessory type drug offenses would be better served in 
alternatives to incarceration and treatment strategies.

"We would still rigorously pursue and arrest those who deal drugs but 
jails would be better suited for those who are committing 
weapons-based offenses or persons' crimes."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom