'Not ready': Alberta police association says it won't support drug decriminalization
As others in Canada start to take steps towards new personal possession rules, Alberta's police association says it's too soon to decriminalize hard drugs in our province.
Calgary's top cop Mark Neufeld, speaking on behalf of the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police, says there's not enough evidence that shows the strategy alone will have an impact.
"By itself, decriminalization would not reduced rates of addiction or overdose," he said. "(It) triggers an immediate need for structural and societal changes in areas that do not currently exist."
The association says there is still work in health, social services and justice that needs to be done before rules can be overhauled. It believes premature changes will result in complaints and open public drug use that will lead to more work for officers.
"If you were to just pull sort of one lever, and it was going to be the decriminalization lever, all it would do is just make it easier to possess illicit drugs and also to see individuals using them in public," Neufeld said. "We're not ready."
Calgary police chief Mark Neufeld says the city isn't ready to decriminalize drugs
OPEN DRUG USE HAPPENING NOW: ADVOCATES
But while the chief is trying to save his officers added duties, many advocates point out that policing work is already embedded in drug use effects -- and decriminalization would be a step to remedying that.
Across the country in 2018 to 2020, almost 28,000 annual arrests were made for possession.
"We're making people's lives very miserable if they use drugs," advocate Euan Thomson told CTV News. "With a new strategy, drug use will likely go down, people will gain stability in their lives and as their human rights are restored, and our communities will actually become safer."
Thomson points to Portugal, where decades-old decriminalization can be directly linked to a decrease in overdose deaths and drug use in teens, and to an increase in those seeking treatment.
"Decriminalization is very much needed, even if it's on its own," Thomson said. "Just like we saw with cannabis legalization, the sky is not going to fall on the day you decriminalize all drugs."
The City of Vancouver has applied for an exemption from the federal controlled substances act so it can update its personal possession rules.
British Columbia applied to the federal government in November to remove criminal penalties for people who possess small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use. The province argued that substance abuse and addiction is a public health issue, not a criminal one.
Since B.C. declared a public health emergency in 2016, 7,700 British Columbians have died because of a toxic drug supply.
Toronto's board of health said it would also seek permission from the federal government to allow drug users to carry small amounts for personal use.
Calgary's police chief expects many more cities will also explore that option.
"We're aware that other provinces have submitted requests to Health Canada seeking an exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act that would decriminalize personal possession of illicit drugs. These are conversations that are ongoing in our province as well,'' said Neufeld.
"I'm not concerned that this is moving forward in any way that's imminent. It is a discussion that has been ongoing for the last number of years, which has been intensified obviously by the drug poisonings and opioid overdoses."
As of now, no changes are imminent in Alberta.
With files from The Canadian Press .
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.