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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/may/22/middle-class-bear-blame-for-drug-related-violence-says-police-leader
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Blame middle class for drug-related violence, says police leader | Blame middle class for drug-related violence, says police leader |
| (4 months later) | |
| Middle-class drug users bear blame for the drug trade and associated violence on Britain’s streets, a leader of rank-and-file police has said. | Middle-class drug users bear blame for the drug trade and associated violence on Britain’s streets, a leader of rank-and-file police has said. |
| Simon Kempton, who leads on drugs policy for the Police Federation, also said banning illegal drugs did not work and new thinking was needed. | Simon Kempton, who leads on drugs policy for the Police Federation, also said banning illegal drugs did not work and new thinking was needed. |
| He told the federation’s conference in Birmingham: “‘The only reason gangs are into drugs is because people want to buy them, and a big part of that is not street-level users. Street-level users are a problem because they steal to fund their habit but on their own they will not support an organised crime group. | He told the federation’s conference in Birmingham: “‘The only reason gangs are into drugs is because people want to buy them, and a big part of that is not street-level users. Street-level users are a problem because they steal to fund their habit but on their own they will not support an organised crime group. |
| “The big market is people with money to spend and they are often oblivious to the misery they cause because it is not on their doorstep. Middle-class drug users do not come across the radar of police because they are consuming it behind closed doors.” | “The big market is people with money to spend and they are often oblivious to the misery they cause because it is not on their doorstep. Middle-class drug users do not come across the radar of police because they are consuming it behind closed doors.” |
| Sheldon Thomas, a former gang member who now works to divert youngsters away from crime, said: “The police target street gangs but the problem is organised criminal networks and the middle-class white people who buy the drugs. The question is: who is buying the drugs at that level? Who is buying them and are we tackling them as well? | Sheldon Thomas, a former gang member who now works to divert youngsters away from crime, said: “The police target street gangs but the problem is organised criminal networks and the middle-class white people who buy the drugs. The question is: who is buying the drugs at that level? Who is buying them and are we tackling them as well? |
| “We need to tackle street gangs and gang crime but for me the big incubator is middle-class people who buy these drugs. We need to tackle middle-class white people who are buying cocaine in very large amounts.” | “We need to tackle street gangs and gang crime but for me the big incubator is middle-class people who buy these drugs. We need to tackle middle-class white people who are buying cocaine in very large amounts.” |
| Kempton said the longstanding policy of drug prohibition did not work: “Police do what the government tells them to do. We will enforce prohibition as long as they want. It has not worked.” | Kempton said the longstanding policy of drug prohibition did not work: “Police do what the government tells them to do. We will enforce prohibition as long as they want. It has not worked.” |
| Ministers are wedded to a ban on illegal drugs, and Kempton said a royal commission was needed. At least one chief constable, Mike Barton of Durham, has also said prohibition is failing. | Ministers are wedded to a ban on illegal drugs, and Kempton said a royal commission was needed. At least one chief constable, Mike Barton of Durham, has also said prohibition is failing. |
| On Wednesday the home secretary, Sajid Javid, will attempt to reset the relationship between the government and police, which has been strained since Theresa May’s time as home secretary. | On Wednesday the home secretary, Sajid Javid, will attempt to reset the relationship between the government and police, which has been strained since Theresa May’s time as home secretary. |
| At a time of rising crime rates, Javid is contemplating abandoning the government’s claim that more could be done with less. | At a time of rising crime rates, Javid is contemplating abandoning the government’s claim that more could be done with less. |
| In a speech to the conference, the home secretary will say: “I get that there’s increased demand. You’ve told me you’re feeling stretched, overburdened and not sufficiently rewarded. I know it’s frustrating when your rest days get cancelled – often at short notice. And I know your work can take its toll on your mental and physical health. And you deserve to be respected and valued.” | In a speech to the conference, the home secretary will say: “I get that there’s increased demand. You’ve told me you’re feeling stretched, overburdened and not sufficiently rewarded. I know it’s frustrating when your rest days get cancelled – often at short notice. And I know your work can take its toll on your mental and physical health. And you deserve to be respected and valued.” |
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