Presentation in Vienna October 10 2016. My name is Mika Jrnelius and - PDF document

Presentation in Vienna October 10 2016. My name is Mika Jörnelius and I work as a police officer in Sweden and I am here to represent Swedish Narcotic Officers Association. SNOA. Within the board of the SNOA, we have a total of 430 years’ experience working in the judicial system, mostly with drug issues. We have 2 100 members from police, customs, prosecutor’s office and from our national forensic laboratory. Law Enforcement plays an integral role in druguse prevention by protecting public safety, reducing the availability of drugs and discouraging druguse in the population. Law enforcement also take on the role of bridging the gap to the Health sector and social services and thus serve as an engine for recovery for addicts. Several long and short term projects have been conducted in high intensive drug trafficking areas. These project with different authorities and bodies in society, works very focused and determined together, has showed to give the best sufficient results. Projects of that kind are very well documented and shows that it will be a quick visible change even during an increase and up going trend of both supply and demand for drugs. In the law enforcement society around the world it is obvious that this common approach is the best practise and we are surprised and disappointed that this knowledge and approach has not reached the politicians in such an extend so new policies will be adopted. The UNGASS outcome document offers a wide range of areas to improve supply reduction measures. SNOA is ready and will support projects to expand the use of smarter sanctions such as drug courts, as alternatives to incarceration in more European countries. In areas with high intensive drug trafficking, places where drugs are used and displayed very frequently, causing health and criminal threats to people who lives there, police have a lot of expectations from the public to solve all kind of problems. Those expectations are natural from a historic point of view, but today there are too many areas or places there even police, rescue teams, paramedics and social workers are under constant attacks and threats while conducting normal tasks. We have leading gang members recruiting the young into drug abuse and criminality and they do not want law enforcement and other bodies in from the society present in their neighbourhoods. The residents have to live under terrible unsafe circumstances and has to watch their young

ones getting killed in gunfights and drug overdoses. The criminals have taken over and controls these neighbourhoods. Only in Sweden we have 55 such areas identified. Kolla med Kim hur många områden världen?!? Europa This development is very common in several cities around the world and not only in the bigger ones. The society and politician’s searches for solutions and how to respond. At the same time, as we know and are certain of, it`s the trafficking of drugs that is the most important catalyst heating up the problems! Criminals and their organisations earn too much money on behalf of other humans suffering. To address serious organized crime, it`s important to encourage the use of asset recovery to cripple criminal player’s incentives to commit serious and organized crime. Recovered assets should not necessary fall into the hands of the law enforcement but rather be used by civil society for prevention or treatment purposes. It certainly would be an action of good pedagogical character when criminals discover their money and assets goes back to assist the victims of crime and drug abuse. SNOA has together with partners and colleagues in similar organisations in the US, closely followed the development of legalizing marijuana in different states. It`s a fact that the legalizers success is based on false reports together with a strong financial support from those who see possibility to earn a lot of money on people using drugs. The results from medical research has not been taken under consideration before the decisions to legalize. Instead false reports have been fabricated to support week arguments. It is already possible to see the tragic consequences of that experiment. Mexican cartels are earning more money than ever because some US states have legalized marijuana. A billion- dollar industry similar to Big Tobacco Company is established. It is about time to recognize the very good achievements from law enforcement in the struggle to supress the drug problems. Law enforcement have really made a difference in regards to both supply and demand of drugs. Officers around the world often meets and communicate with drug addicts on a daily basis in all kind of environments. In many cases the officers are the only persons they can turn to. How many addicts has not been motivated and helped to rehab, assisted by officers on their beat? So far we have a great amount of public support. In Sweden and worldwide nine out of ten people have the same opinion; drugs are bad.

The International Conventions on drugs and International agreement on cooperation are basic. The national laws, regulations and policies must correspond with the police resources when it comes to training and human resources. Law enforcement must and can play an important role but not in solitary. If we are serious of reaching results and creating a better future for our young ones we must get together and find ways to work and act together during long time in able to reach sufficient and long lasting effects. The common goal should be to have a society without illegal drugs . The keywords are prevention, prosecution and improved care initiatives. Thank for Your Attention!