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Does Refusing a Search Give Police Probable Cause?
Here's the latest clip from my new YouTube series, How to Deal with Cops. Hopefully you'll find it interesting even if you think you already know the answer. Enjoy.
Policing
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Video: 5 Reasons You Should Never Agree to a Police Search
Steve Silverman and I recently started a new YouTube show called How to Deal with Cops. This is my first episode, which goes over the major points from my Huffington Post piece last week.
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You Canât Fire Cops for Supporting Drug Legalization
[inline:LEAP.jpg align=right]New York Times has a fantastic story on the fate of a few law enforcement officials who’ve been fired for questioning the wisdom of the war on drugs, and are now likely to win big settlements from their former employers.
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Chronicle Book Review: Drugs and Drug Policy
A trio of academic experts have come up with a drug policy book you're going to want to read, even if only to argue with it. Especially to argue with it.
Marching to the end the drug war in San Francisco (Image courtesy the author)
Rallies, Vigils Mark 40 Years of Failed Drug War [FEATURE]
From sea to shining sea, people took to the streets for protests and vigils to mark the 40th anniversary of Nixon's war on drugs.
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This is What a Drug Legalization Activist Looks Like, Part 2
This video really captures the feel of LEAP's excellent press event last week:
(See text below for list of marchers. Photo by Irina Alexander)
This is What a Drug Legalization Activist Looks Like
You've likely already seen the explosive mainstream media coverage of Tuesday's superb press event by our friends at Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, but I wanted to share this image that didn't make it into the papers:
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Criminal Injustice -- Inside America's National Disgrace
[inline:reason-criminal-injustice.jpg align=right]The libertarian Reason Magazine ("free minds and free markets") has devoted its July
Cops Hold Vigil in DC and Say: Legalize Drugs to Stop Police Deaths
NEWS ADVISORY: May 11, 2011
CONTACT: Tom Angell - 202-557-4979 or [email protected]
Cops Attend Candlelight Vigil and Say "Legalize Drugs" to Honor Fallen Colleagues
Peace Officers Memorial Day Expected to Draw Tens of Thousands to Washington, DC
WASHINGTON, DC -- In conjunction with Peace Officers Memorial Day, some police are pointing out how too many law enforcers are killed in the line of duty enforcing a senseless and unwinnable "war on drugs." The group, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), is calling for the legalization and regulation off all drugs, and they're telling stories about their fallen friends and colleagues to back up their case.
"When one of my best friends was killed doing an undercover drug purchase, it opened my eyes to the fact that not only are these drug laws ineffective, but they lead to brave and dedicated law enforcers losing their lives," said Neill Franklin, a 34-year veteran of the Maryland State Police and the Baltimore Police Department, now LEAP's executive director. "Ed Toatley was one of the best narcotics agents the state of Maryland ever had, but this failed drug war wasn't worth him losing his life over."
See http://copssaylegalize.blogspot.com/2011/05/remembering-our-fallen-comrades.html for more information about Ed Toatley's story.
WHO: Former police officers who support legalizing drugs
WHAT: Candlelight vigil in remembrance of fallen colleagues
WHEN: Friday, May 13 @ 7:30 PM EST
WHERE: National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial; on E St. between 4th and 5th Sts., NW, Washington, DC
The candlelight vigil, which officially begins at 8:00 PM, is sponsored by the National Law Enforcers Memorial Fund and is part of National Police Week. 25,000 to 40,000 police officers and family members are expected to attend official events over the course of the week. The group of pro-legalization police officers will be available for on-site press interviews around 7:30 PM, before the start of the vigil.
More information about Police Week can be found at http://www.policeweek.org/schedule.html.
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) represents police, prosecutors, judges, prison warders, federal agents and others who want to legalize and regulate drugs after fighting on the front lines of the "war on drugs" and learning firsthand that prohibition only serves to worsen addiction and violence. More info at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.
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What the Drug War Has Wrought (Opinion)
John Sinclair opines on what drug prohibition has wrought. He says only the most nave, cynical or deluded among us can subscribe to the pervasive mythology of drug police, prosecutors and judges as fearless warriors valiantly fighting a depraved horde of heartless pushers and evil dope fiends whose anti-social pursuit of self-gratification by getting high threatens to destroy the American way of life and everything it stands for.