A recent report by the Center for Substance Abuse Research at the University of Maryland, College Park shows results of responses of police administrators across the United States.
The gist of the report was the concern expressed by police administrators over their ability to have the resources necessary address the identified concerns of substance above.
It should be noted that the impact of substance abuse goes beyond the enforcement and interdiction of drug activities. It impacts the levels of other crimes such as property theft, especially shoplifting, as people steal things to try to get cash for drugs or precursors for the manufacture of drugs. It impacts family crimes as substance abuse is often the result of domestic assault, child abuse and neglect. It impacts other property crimes such as vandalism and thefts from vehicles. It also plays a role in other assaults and often burglaries and robberies.
When the survey talks about the frustration of police administrators not having adequate resources to address the problem, it encompasses many areas. Not surprising, the smaller the size of the agency, the higher the frustration level of the administrators’ concern over lack of resources.
The Police Foundation commissioned a study conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, in December 2004 to conduct a a survey of police administrators about their views on drug crimes and other issues.
At a time, especially in Minnesota, when police administrators are experiencing growing populations and demands for service, funding and staffing levels have either been reduced or have grown stagnate. Funding for special enforcement efforts at the state and federal level have sharply declined. It is a growing problem and concern, and one that police administrators must be open and honest about with their respective constituencies.
It is bad public policy to reap short term financial gains at the cost of long term stability of the safety of our communities through the lack of adequate funding of our public safety and criminal justice organizations. Whether through the establishment of new priorities or funding sources, communities need to share their concerns and expectations with federal, state, and local elected representatives and hold them accountable for their actions.
The lower rates of criminal activity we experience today are due in a large part to the building up of resources in the 1980’s and 1990’s. A failure to maintain adequate resources will most certainly result in a resurgence of violent crime and a lowering of our overall quality of life.