Editor’s Note: This week’s PoliceOne First Person essay is from PoliceOne Member Dean Crump, a Deputy Sheriff of 12 years and School Resource Officer for seven years, who wrote in to PoliceOne following our hot-button column on the debate over marijuana legalization. In PoliceOne “First Person” essays, our Members and Columnists candidly share their own unique view of the world. This is a platform from which individual officers can share their own personal insights on issues confronting cops today, as well as opinions, observations, and advice on living life behind the thin blue line. If you want to share your own perspective with other P1 Members, simply send us an email with your story.
By Dean Crump
Deputy Sheriff of 12 years
School Resource Officer for seven years
In reading this article I couldn’t help but think of my years spent battling this same question. I used to think that we, the law enforcement community, would never put a dent in the drug culture because of all the corruption and money involved. I even began thinking of ways the legalization of marijuana could happen.
I thought that our country pays farmers not to produce certain crops. Why not let them decide who would like to cultivate marijuana for the pharmaceutical companies, as they would be taxed by our government for the sell of marijuana?
However, this could not be accomplished without the stronger enforcement for illegal grows and distribution, especially from outside of the United States. I even thought subsidies could be afforded by the government for those farmers that continue to produce needed crops, like cotton, corn, wheat, etc. and pay them through the government’s taxation on the marijuana growers. I thought the sentencing for illegal trafficking and distribution offenders would have to be 25/30 years to life with no chance for parole. Along with fines totaling the amount of the street price for the illegal marijuana confiscated.
Our law enforcement and justice system would have to hit the illegal trade where it affects them the most — in their wallet, and incarceration. This would even go back to simple possession of illegally purchased marijuana. Even the smallest amounts would be given stiff penalties. Five to ten years for first-time offenders.
Then why legalize it you may ask? The bigger question would be, why buy it illegally if one could purchase it legally and avoid prosecution?
Many good ideas and questions, I think.
However... several years ago, I came across information on drugs through an excellent group of people. DrugFreeWorld.org is an organization throughout the world that’s sole purpose is to spread the word of the dangers of drugs in our worldly culture. I learned more than I ever thought I knew about drugs through this amazing organization.
Watching their public service announcements on their website and reading the facts about what different drugs do to the brain and other parts of the body was eye-opening to say the least. The final sell to me was the documentary that they provide (free).
It was real.
From real users and dealers who told their stories of how easy it was and how it almost took their lives. That small opening in my brain that was allowing the thought of the legalization of marijuana has since closed to a more logical and sensible way to deal with the problem. I try as best as humanly possible to teach abstinence into drugs to middle school and elementary children. But, the real difficulty is trying to sell the parents on how much their involvement matters.
Legalization is just giving in and giving up on the problem. It is not theory, but fact, that marijuana is a gateway drug. As I say to my school kids, every addict and every alcoholic had to do it at least once to get hooked.
Education is not the answer alone, but where we don’t have better answers, it is a start.
Just my two cents.
