By Alex McCuaig

MHPS still reviewing report

‘It’s what Canadians want,’ says city’s top cop about decriminalization recommendation

Jul 10, 2020 | 2:43 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The call by a national body representing police in Canada to legalize possession of small amounts of illegal drugs might be a surprise to some, but MHPS Chief Andy McGrogan says it’s consistent with the move toward public safety and away from law enforcement.

“It’s what Canadians want,” said McGrogan, adding city police are still reviewing the recommendation from the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP).

“It’s a public safety issue and if there is data to prove that really enforcing minor amounts of different illicit drugs is ineffective, then why are we doing it?”

The CACP report noted 15,000 Canadians died from opioid-related overdoes alone between 2016 and 2019, not to mention the stigma, criminal record and exposure to disease which comes with addiction.

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The idea behind decriminalization is, “to decrease these harms by removing mandatory criminal sanctions, often replacing them with responses that promote access to harm reduction and treatment services,” states the report.

Asked about those who may object to the move away from a zero-tolerance approach when it comes to illegal drugs, McGrogan says it comes down again to what Canadians want.

“I get it. It’s law and order. There is all the different pieces to it,” he said. “When they decriminalized and basically legalized marijuana, some people thought the world was coming to an end. We haven’t seen that yet.”

The CACP report concluded this approach would not see police stop going after organized crime groups or those who import, produce or distribute large quantities of drugs.

But when it comes to addicts, “finding a pathway to care presents the opportunity of reducing the demand for drugs in our communities as well as the crime associated with problematic substance use.”