Superintendent, I’m sure you were misquoted, but the police cannot reduce the demand for drugs, reduce the demand for social service needs, and provide treatement for addicts. That’s someone elses job. There should be better drug education for grammar and high school students. There should be better and more available drug treatment and no cost to the addicted. Our leaders through the years, both Dems and Repub. have failed America in this issue. Do not balme the police for the war on drugs not being successful. This is society’s failure assisted by the failed policies of the political system in this country. Our leaders keep talking about legalization, which in the long term would be the biggest mistake this country every made. But, if our leader want to talk legalization, can someone submit a business model on how it will be structured, who will sell it, where will it be sold, how will the govt. tax it, and who will make money off it. Please do not blame the police for the drug problem in America. In the end the individual makes the choice to use and sell drugs, and yes, the police are there to put the person in jail if nothing else works.

Drug use should be a personal choice. Utilize the prison space for violent offenders.

I agree that if legalized it would be a huge mistake. Impaired people at the workplace, on the roads, if you take away the ramifications. Picture a society where everyone is on one thing or another. As an ex-user, I’ve seen somethings that just stops the train on the tracks. Lives are ruined, breeding more crime to go afford legalized drugs. I’ve seen people submerged or up for days, not being able to stop. Believe me, it is a hell on earth. There are no simple fixes. And a lot of people have no business drinking let alone anything else.

legalize pot and you wont have these problems. its the same as booze, everyone is on something, booze pain meds, whatever

Drugs should be legal. Driving while impaired should be a crime, public intoxication, etc. Same as alcohol. You’d shut the dealers down overnight and free up prison space for bad people.

[...] Police Supt. Garry McCarthy was among those who criticized the War on Drugs last week. [...]

[...] to his controversial appearance McCarthy made similarly controversial yet not wildly publicized statements about what he felt about a Chicago rally to end the war on drugs: “If we just lock up a drug [...]