Weekly: This Week in History
Events and quotes of note from this week's drug policy events of years past.
Cheye Calvo Comments on the Passage of SWAT Monitoring Legislation in Maryland
Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo sent us his terrific statement in response to the new SWAT reporting law passed by the Maryland legislature:
It's about time. No matter how many of these stories I cover, the scope of the problem continues to send shivers down my spine. Calvo's own story is troubling enough before one considers that there are so many more that follow a disturbingly similar plotline.
Calvo also comments on the fact that law-enforcement interests directly opposed his efforts to increase oversight and accountability:
Well said. Still, I'm honestly appalled that such arguments even have to be raised. After everything that's happened, how dare they object to basic oversight? When law enforcement directly lobbies against accountability, that is just an affront to the public interest. It's outrageous and although the right result was reached, there remain serious questions to be asked about the agenda of those in law-enforcement who took a leadership role in opposing this bill.
With their hands stained in innocent blood, they arrogantly insist that we avert our eyes. Thanks to Cheye Calvo and Maryland's legislators, we'll do exactly the opposite.
"Although the botched raid of my home and killing of our dogs, Payton and Chase, have received considerable attention in the media, it is important to underscore that this bill is about much more than an isolated, high-profile mistake. It is about a growing and troubling trend where law enforcement agencies are using SWAT teams to perform ordinary police work. Prince George's County police acknowledges deploying SWAT teams between 400 and 700 a year -- that's twice a day -- and other counties in the state have said that they also deploy their special tactical units hundreds of times a year. The hearings on these bills have brought to light numerous botched and ill-advised raids in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George's counties that also have had devastating effects on the lives of innocent people and undermined faith in law enforcement. HB 1267 will shine this light, provide oversight, and demand accountability as a matter of course."
It's about time. No matter how many of these stories I cover, the scope of the problem continues to send shivers down my spine. Calvo's own story is troubling enough before one considers that there are so many more that follow a disturbingly similar plotline.
Calvo also comments on the fact that law-enforcement interests directly opposed his efforts to increase oversight and accountability:
"Although I applaud lawmakers for passing this bill over the objections of law enforcement, I was disappointed that state law enforcement groups decided to oppose this measure rather than embrace it as an opportunity to restore the public trust. I remain especially concerned with the argument put forward that only law enforcement should police itself and that it is somehow inappropriate for elected leaders to legislate oversight and accountability. I cannot disagree with this argument more. As an elected officials, we must take full responsibility for the law enforcement departments that we fund and authorize, and we must hold our law enforcement officials to the highest standards and ideals. I strongly support law enforcement and believe that so many of our officers are heroes. However, it is perfectly consistent to support them, provide oversight, and demand accountability -- just as our constituents support, oversee, and demand accountability from us."
Well said. Still, I'm honestly appalled that such arguments even have to be raised. After everything that's happened, how dare they object to basic oversight? When law enforcement directly lobbies against accountability, that is just an affront to the public interest. It's outrageous and although the right result was reached, there remain serious questions to be asked about the agenda of those in law-enforcement who took a leadership role in opposing this bill.
With their hands stained in innocent blood, they arrogantly insist that we avert our eyes. Thanks to Cheye Calvo and Maryland's legislators, we'll do exactly the opposite.
Even Cops Are Getting Screwed by Inaccurate Drug Tests
Via Radley Balko, this one is hard to believe:
Needless to say, this cocaine-ingested-through-oral-sex line sounds like the laugh-out-loud lame excuse of the century. I'm highly inclined to doubt that such a thing is even remotely possible, but as to the question of whether or not the officer was actually using cocaine, I donât know what to think. If his colleagues are to be believed, the story on this guy is that he's well known for not doing drugs. Supposedly, he's an "adherent of the 'straight edge' lifestyle that rejects substance use" and everyone knows he doesn't get high:
I don't know these people, but I trust them more than I trust the drug test itself, because drug tests are bullshit. They're just not accurate. If a bunch of people come forward complaining that someone got railroaded by a drug test, I'm going to assume that's exactly what happened. It's happened before.
Notwithstanding the absurdity of the officer's crazy oral sex explanation, I wouldnât be at all surprised if he's the innocent victim of a false positive drug test result. If officer Goldin is telling the truth, then it's worth taking a moment to contemplate the irony that a cop who lives by a vehement anti-drug philosophy ended up getting screwed over by one of the numerous fraudulent technologies designed to ruin the lives of drug users.
I wonder what he thinks of the drug war now, after finding himself on the receiving end of its virtually infinite incompetence.
A decorated ex-cop who claimed he tested positive for cocaine because he ingested the drug during oral sex with his girlfriend can't have his job back, a Manhattan judge has ruled.
Supreme Court Justice Eileen Rakower last month shot down helicopter pilot Jon Goldin's attempt to overturn his April 2008 dismissal from the NYPD.
Goldin, a 15-year veteran, tested positive for cocaine in October 2006 in a random drug test using hairs from his arm.
...
Goldin's lawsuit said the cocaine in his system was the product of "passive ingestion" from performing oral sex on girlfriend Coreen McCarthy, who, once he tested positive, admitted to him that she was a regular cocaine user. [New York Daily News]
Needless to say, this cocaine-ingested-through-oral-sex line sounds like the laugh-out-loud lame excuse of the century. I'm highly inclined to doubt that such a thing is even remotely possible, but as to the question of whether or not the officer was actually using cocaine, I donât know what to think. If his colleagues are to be believed, the story on this guy is that he's well known for not doing drugs. Supposedly, he's an "adherent of the 'straight edge' lifestyle that rejects substance use" and everyone knows he doesn't get high:
More than 70 friends went to bat for the ex-cop, saying they had never seen him take even a sip of coffee and that he abstained at bars while others drank booze.
I don't know these people, but I trust them more than I trust the drug test itself, because drug tests are bullshit. They're just not accurate. If a bunch of people come forward complaining that someone got railroaded by a drug test, I'm going to assume that's exactly what happened. It's happened before.
Notwithstanding the absurdity of the officer's crazy oral sex explanation, I wouldnât be at all surprised if he's the innocent victim of a false positive drug test result. If officer Goldin is telling the truth, then it's worth taking a moment to contemplate the irony that a cop who lives by a vehement anti-drug philosophy ended up getting screwed over by one of the numerous fraudulent technologies designed to ruin the lives of drug users.
I wonder what he thinks of the drug war now, after finding himself on the receiving end of its virtually infinite incompetence.
What are we going to do?
I do not profess to be very smart, nor do I have the ability to understand this "War on Drugs".