I have quite a few friends who are coppers.
They told me of a system that was in place near where I live.
Near the Business centre in London there was a club that young people used to go to.
On very cold nights or if an arrest figure needed to be bumped up they use to stop clubbers as they were going in, or stop them when they were leaving, at least one two or even a few more would have a wrap of cocaine, some pills, or speed or some sort of clubbers drugs.
Then all of a sudden this practise was halted from above.
Why ?
A Liberalisation policy, no.
The decision that it was a waste of time, or that clubbers should not be arrested, no.
The need to go after other criminals well sort of.
What happened was the IRA planted a bomb in the Business centre of London, the damage caused and the loss of business amounted to millions.
Instead of arresting clubbers the city of London Police were tasked with protecting the City business centre. To do this they needed to be out and about on the street not back at the police station processing the arrest of the clubbers.
It would be nice to think that one day the government will think as highly of the people as they do the City and make sure the police are on the beat looking out for are welfare instead of processing the arrest of some individual who had some drugs on them.
Cheers Tony