Police Officers should be able to speak out
I got this in email and wanted to amplify it:
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition prides itself on the willingness of our members to stand up and take action against drug prohibition. Last fall, LEAP member Joe Miller did exactly that. A California police officer for eight years before taking a position as a deputy probation officer in Arizona, Joe signed a letter in support of Proposition 19, California’s marijuana legalization initiative. He was fired for it. Now he needs your help, and so does LEAP.
Former deputy probation officer
Joe MillerAs a retired police officer of 33 years who myself spoke out against drug prohibition as a private citizen while employed as a police officer, I am extremely disheartened by Joe’s termination and the bigger issue it represents. Firing law enforcement professionals for speaking out against policies they know are wrong is not only an unfair intimidation tactic but also a violation of First Amendment rights. I urge you to support their right to speak out by signing this petition now. Joe is not the first officer to face unfair termination for expressing his personal opinion. Former US border patrol agent Bryan Gonzalez’s case recently made headlines when he was fired after expressing his views on drug legalization to a fellow officer.
LEAP is always there to provide support to those ethical and courageous law enforcers who come forward and say that drug prohibition is a failed policy. Our speakers are law enforcement professionals who are as dedicated as they are distinguished. In the past month, our speakers have made 101 presentations and appeared in such prestigious publications as the Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, the Hartford Courant, the Village Voice and the Miami Herald. We even got President Obama’s attention. Our speakers have become the go-to source for the law enforcement perspective on drug policy reform, and in the past week alone, we have provided expert testimony for drug policy related bills in four states. [You should give LEAP some money to help – Adam]
The ability of law enforcers to criticize the policies they are responsible for upholding serves a vital public interest. It lays the groundwork for much-needed reform, supports harm reduction efforts and provides tangible evidence that these laws simply are not working.
Law enforcement officers have a unique position to comment on the efficacy of our laws. We need them to be able to speak freely as individuals about their experiences. Even if they’re being foolish and telling me to “Just Shut Up and Be a Good Little Socialist,” I support their right to speak their minds, and not be fired for it. (Even if, as in Officer Pomper’s case, I believe he would have been well advised to shut up.)
But civil liberties aren’t just for folks we agree with. I think Joe Miller deserves his job back, and I urge you to sign the petition and consider supporting LEAP.
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