cannabisnews.com: Routt Sheriff Pulls Agency from Drug Task Force Routt Sheriff Pulls Agency from Drug Task Force Posted by CN Staff on March 05, 2007 at 15:34:01 PT By Ellen Miller, Special To The News Source: Rocky Mountain News Colorado -- Newly elected Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall has removed his agency from a joint drug task force in northwestern Colorado, saying investigator tactics have violated individual rights and seized a "shockingly low" amount of illegal drugs. "I ran to protect the citizens of Routt County," said Wall, whose county abuts Wyoming. "We will enforce drug laws, but it's going to be done right." "Their investigation and arrest tactics are violations of individual rights," Wall said, speaking of the task force. "They try to get people to do things for them by intimidating them. When somebody says they want to see what their attorney thinks, as far as I'm concerned, the conversation is over." Wall's pullout from the Greater Routt and Moffat Narcotics Enforcement Team, known as GRAMNET, will cost the task force about a quarter of its funding, but the remaining agencies of Craig, Steamboat Springs and Moffat County plan to continue, said Garrett Wiggins, an employee of the Steamboat Springs police and the task force commander. Wiggins said Wall "just doesn't want us to be working in Routt County, and it opens the floodgates for drug dealers. He says he'll continue drug enforcement, but I have my doubts." Wall said the task force spent about $450,000 last year, of which $115,000 came from the Routt County sheriff, and netted a small amount of cocaine, 11 ounces of mushrooms, 8.9 grams of methamphetamine and small quantities of marijuana, Ecstasy and illegal prescription drugs. "That's not much for the money spent," he said. "The war on drugs has been a failure no matter how you measure it." Wall is the third Western Slope sheriff to be publicly leery of drug task forces. Pitkin County Sheriff Bob Braudis has long expressed his belief that undercover operations and other tactics erode public confidence, and San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters wrote a book questioning the war on drugs.Complete Title: Routt County Sheriff Pulls Agency from Drug Task ForceNewshawk: The GCWSource: Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)Author: Ellen Miller, Special To The NewsPublished: March 5, 2007Copyright: 2007 Denver Publishing Co.Contact: letters rockymountainnews.comWebsite: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/CannabisNews Justice Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/justice.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #10 posted by Hope on April 12, 2007 at 21:45:02 PT Comment 7 I'll "Amen" that, Bro. Toke! [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Hope on April 12, 2007 at 21:40:56 PT Saying it again! "The war on drugs has been a failure no matter how you measure it."Wall is the third Western Slope sheriff to be publicly leery of drug task forces. Pitkin County Sheriff Bob Braudis has long expressed his belief that undercover operations and other tactics erode public confidence, and San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters wrote a book questioning the war on drugs. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by observer on March 06, 2007 at 17:30:03 PT War On Drugs = Success for Govt, Careerists "That's not much for the money spent," he said. "The war on drugs has been a failure no matter how you measure it."Well, the War on drugs certainly hasn't stopped anyone who takes a mind to get drugs, from actually getting them (in bulk even). So in that sense, it seems like a failure. But if you look at the number of careers in "law enforcement", the salaries they draw, the pensions and benefits they get (all at taxpayer expense, of course), the coterie of drug war camp followers: treatment racket, testing, prison industrial complex, military industrial complex, etc., the "war on drugs" is a smashing success. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Toker00 on March 06, 2007 at 16:02:19 PT JustGetnBy I would like to begin and end this sermon by just saying:Thank you God for Cannabis and all Good Things to come.Amen.Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Toker00 on March 06, 2007 at 15:56:44 PT Bush is up to his old tricks again guys. I'm sick of my government jacking with my rights while covering their corrupt *sses. Please respond to this effort to push back. Thanks. Corruption Investigators are being FIRED!http://ga3.org/campaign/usattorneys LOL. President. Speaking of presidents, what is Kucinich up to? It would not be hard for him to make some drastic moves right about now with all this positive canna-press going on. Change the policy now, Dennis, so you won't have to deal with it as a Presidential Candidate in '08! Commission Steve Kubby to De-commission the Liberty DEAth squads of ONDCP and NIDA. RE-Legalize cannabis and put an end to the fear of DRRRUUUUGGGG Dealers hooking your normally curious children on the REAL SH*T. Children are such a tiny, tiny spot on the Black Markets Profit Book, it's laughable (not really) to use them as Human Shields for the REAL victims of ending cannabis prohibition, the Franken-fooda-ceuti-alco-chemi-petro-pesta-ferta-pisstesta-corps.Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by JustGetnBy on March 05, 2007 at 22:05:31 PT TOKE my Brother I'm in your "Amen Corner" so all I can say is.................. PREACH IT BROTHER!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by The GCW on March 05, 2007 at 18:09:59 PT ABSALUTELY NOTHIN’ ABSALUTELY NOTHIN’ [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Truth on March 05, 2007 at 17:17:50 PT Toker 00 Toker 00 for president! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Toker00 on March 05, 2007 at 15:48:19 PT Drug War, Good God y'all! What is it good for? "The war on drugs has been a failure no matter how you measure it."Say it again! Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Richard Zuckerman on March 05, 2007 at 15:40:48 PT: POLICEMAN & DOG OBTAINED DEGREE ON-LINE!! An article ran in today's newspaper reports of a policeman and his dog obtained a college degree from on-line.A lawsuit is pending in which the plaintiff's attorney claims high level federal government workers obtained their college degree from a diploma mill. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment