National Black And Latino Police Organizations Announce Support For Amendment 64
Former law enforcement officials will join campaign to announce the endorsements at a news conference on Thursday, Sep. 20, at 12 p.m. in front of the Denver City-County Building (1437 Bannock St.)
DENVER – A group of former police officers, judges and prosecutors who support Amendment 64, will join the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol at a news conference on Thursday, Sep. 20, at 12 p.m. to release a letter of endorsement signed by law enforcers from across the state. They will also announce endorsements from two national police organizations: Blacks in Law Enforcement of America and the National Latino Officers Association.
WHAT: News conference announcing law enforcement support for Amendment 64, the initiative to regulate marijuana like alcohol
WHEN: Thursday, September 20, 12 p.m. MT
WHERE: In front of the Denver City-County Building, 1437 Bannock St., Denver
WHO: Lt. Tony Ryan (Ret.), 36-year veteran of the Denver Police Dept.
Lauren Davis, former deputy district attorney in Denver and Manhattan
Neill Franklin, executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP)
Betty Aldworth, advocacy director of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol
Several other former cops, prosecutors, and judges who support Amendment 64
In the sign-on letter being released at the news conference, law enforcers outline the following reasons for supporting Amendment 64:
• Redirect limited law enforcement resources toward preventing violent crimes
• Cut off funding to violent gangs and drug cartels, which generate the majority of their revenue from illegal marijuana sales
• Protect the lives of police officers who must enforce ineffective marijuana prohibition laws
• Reduce access to marijuana by teens by taking marijuana out of the underground market, putting it behind the counter, and instituting strict age-limits
• Restore mutual respect and good relations between law enforcement and communities bearing the brunt of the current marijuana laws
