I disagree. The guidance in my view is wrong and the law does not preclude it . Smell of cannabis is sufficient to stop search and I will continue to encourage my Officers to use it particularly on those criminals who are engaged in serious and organised crime.https://twitter.com/DannyShawBBC/status/940488066342576128 …
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Replying to @MerPolChiefCon
Dear Andy. Those involved in serious & organised drug dealing never touch the stuff or get anywhere need it. What are you talking about? I agree smell of cannabis provides reasonable suspicion for stop/search but is usually a waste of time - likely to be user not a dealer.
6 replies 1 retweet 7 likes -
Replying to @brianpaddick
Brian you are wrong. Regularly used and recovered from our SOC groups both in quantity and for personal use. Impaired driving, cannabis market control leading to firearm discharges and significant violence. Proactive use of stop search on these criminals is essential.
5 replies 2 retweets 50 likes -
Replying to @MerPolChiefCon
Well if I’m wrong so are College of Policing, an increasing number of your Chief Constable colleagues & Police & Crime Commissioners. Perhaps a more reasonable response might be to say there is a difference of professional opinion on these issues. The “war on drugs” has failed.
3 replies 1 retweet 10 likes -
Replying to @brianpaddick
Brian apologies I didn't mean to come across as rude I was tweeting on a short timescale. If the war on drugs has failed should we just give up then? Stop search is a legitimate power that significantly disrupts gangs and their violent activity and should not be diminished.
8 replies 0 retweets 37 likes -
Replying to @MerPolChiefCon
No worries. Demand is insatiable, restricting supply is only possible if distribution from source to street is taken out. Possible with massive injection of resources but impracticable. Decriminalisation & regulation, taking supply out of hands of criminals, only viable option.
5 replies 2 retweets 12 likes -
Replying to @brianpaddick
Then lobby the government... Police are here to enforce existing law (making drugs illegal to possess) and not to appease your ideologies. Completely legitimate tactic as is breathalysing drivers that smell of alcohol.
3 replies 0 retweets 11 likes
Point is police often don’t enforce existing law & in some Force areas, they don’t. I’ve already proposed a change in law in @UKHouseofLords to legalise possession of all drugs.
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