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Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Drug war hits the wrong targets
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If Kathryn Johnston’s tragic death is to lead to systemic change at the Atlanta Police Department, then Chief Richard Pennington should reconsider the foolish and costly war on drugs. Forget raising the numbers of narcotics officers — a tactic reminiscent of President Bush’s misguided “surge” in Iraq. What Pennington ought to do is decrease the number of officers who waste time and ruin lives going after penny-ante drug dealers.
The war on drugs has consumed local police for decades now, though it has done absolutely nothing to reduce the amount of drugs sold on the streets. Still, they keep doing it. (Remember that colorful definition of insanity — doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome?)
Read today’s full column.
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