We heard some very disturbing testimony about this at the City Council's Public
Safety, Civil Rights and Health Committee this afternoon. There, no one acted
like this was a hidden program, but it was something that I had not heard of
and even our First Precinct Commander, who said she new about the program, did
not seem to be aware of how it was being operated in Minneapolis. One of the
people who testified there appeared to be under or close to the age of 18 and
reported about how he was recruited, transported, given illegal drugs and asked
to used them in a secluded location by government employed public safety
employees.
Last night, I was called by a concerned mother who was very upset because her
son had been given free drugs by a police officer when he went out to
participate in what he thought would be social action in a public plaza to help
improve his community and country. She was shocked to learn from her son later
that police gave her son illegal drugs and asked him to use them, indicating
that it was okay and that it was part of a police program. She expressed
concern about her young son and his particular mental capacity to make sound
judgments under such conditions. She shared her fears about unknown substances
that are often used as additives to marijuana and recalled her own experiences,
and those of her families and friends, dealing with substance abuse and
addiction. Her trust in the police was broken and she was baffled at how such a
thing could ever be condoned by her government. She felt that it was the
police's responsibility to help keep her son safe and protect him from harm and
consider that by their action the police had put him in harms way and as a
violation of a public trust. She recalled how often those wishing to profit
from the sale of drugs often used free samples to help get people "hooked" and
almost could not believe that here it was the police giving her son a sample
with apparent total disregard for his welfare.
One of the things that is most concerning about this to me is how the young and
vulnerable appear to be being targeted.
Beyond that, I cannot see how this program, practiced how it apparently is
being practiced, can be considered ethical or in the public interest. Surely,
if we determine it is in the interest of the public to have a well educated
police force, able to identify intoxicated people there must be better, more
ethical, alternative, ways to provide them that education. I wonder how health
professionals, who also need to be able to make these determinations, learn
that information. I wonder if the State Department of Health was consulted and
approved of this program before it was implemented.
I will be looking into that, and other aspects of this program, in the days
ahead. If the Minneapolis Police are involved in this program I will push that
our participation be suspended immediately and that we discontinue all
involvement in it in the future. While I am open to learning more about why
and how this program is operating, from what I have learned so far, I can't
imagine how I could justify supporting it as a member of the City Council.
As always, your thoughts and input are appreciated.
Cam Gordon
Seward