Harpham Clears The Air
More proof that anyone who's anyone in Humboldt visits this blog:
Eureka's interim police chief, Murl Harpham, wrote a commentary published both in the Eureka Reporter and Times- Standard today. He's clearing up what he feels are a few misconceptions about some statements he's recently taken some heat for here.
Well, ok, not just here but in the local papers as well.
I see he echoes what I said about Prop. 36, the law that requires treatment programs for first and second time drug offenders: There's no teeth to the law, which can certainly be a problem.
Cap'n Murl then quotes Phil Crandall, director of Health and Human Services: “Adopting a zero tolerance approach for methamphetamine that combines vigorous prosecution with community and school education, as well as outreach and treatment for users, is the balanced approach Humboldt County should provide.”. The Cap'n agrees.
Whatever. That might well be true.
I don't know what the answer is to this drug and crime problem, but I'll stand by what I said before about those simply arrested for drug crimes: If they've harmed no one but themselves, they've committed no crime and should be left alone unless they need and want help.
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I'm always skeptical about this Zero Tolerance and Let's get tough on... stuff we hear all the time. I keep thinking a lot of places are already doing that with mixed results. Maybe I'm wrong, though.
Looks like we may find out what Get Tough really means from our neighbors to the south in Mendocino County. Newly elected Sheriff, Tom Allman, says he wants to make methamphetamine the top enforcement target in his county, although he doesn't appear to have a plan of action yet.
No matter what means he uses to deal with the problem, I'm sure we'll all be watching to see what kind of results he gets.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 9:03 AM
11 comments
11 Comments:
His article is a ruse. His comment of Eureka being a hellhole was based upon the police shootings. His article completely skips that and conveniently starts the age old debate about the governments role in society (Specifically health services for drug addicts) ala the old Federalist V. Anti-Federalist debate if you want to go that far back.
What does this have to do with the police shootings? Nothing really. None of the dead people were in drug camps, none were current recipients of drug treatment, none were seeking help.
He is inflaming the two sides of this traditional American debate to avoid the real issue, which is the police shootings.
We all agree meth is THE major problem, but this opinion piece seeks to divide the community rather than unite it.
12:07 - you are a joke. Anyone who knows Harpham, knows he does not play games. He talks straight.
You are one of those conspiratorial types who believe the cops are out to get you. You should pop over to Heraldo's blog, you would be much more comfortable.
Just read the man's opinion piece and put it into the context of how this all got started. It's no conspiracy, the man is maligning public health, as though it is the cause of drug problems and thus the police shootings. His cause and effect understanding is backward. Public health does what it does as a response to the drug epidemic in this community. Needle programs were a result of heroin (Humboldts former #1 drug problem, remember?) and the AIDS crisis. What does that even have to do with Meth? My understanding is people smoke it or snort it, not inject it.
Harpham may shoot from the hip, but that doesn't make him right.
Just read the man's opinion piece and put it into the context of how this all got started. It's no conspiracy, the man is maligning public health, as though it is the cause of drug problems and thus the police shootings. His cause and effect understanding is backward. Public health does what it does as a response to the drug epidemic in this community. Needle programs were a result of heroin (Humboldts former #1 drug problem, remember?) and the AIDS crisis. What does that even have to do with Meth? My understanding is people smoke it or snort it, not inject it.
No, you can inject it as well. AIDS should take a back seat to the Hep C problem in Humboldt County, even though they seem to want to scare us with how many AIDS cases are running around. I'll give you a hint, there are less AIDS cases in Humboldt then sex crimes. Hep C on the other hand is completely out of control. Ask anyone in the medical biz about Hep C and Humboldt County.
I'm sure you're right. If they inject it it is further reason to have needle exchange as a response to rampant drug abuse and addiction in the county. Rape and Hep C are massive problems, I agree. But that doesn't mean we should just abandon needle exchange and ignore AIDS.
I'll ignore 150 people in order to save more. The needle exchange program doesn't seem to be helping the Hep C problem, which is the same way you get AIDS/HIV.
Harpham is a disgrace. Retire that idiot ASAP. How about the trigger-happy hillbillies on the EPD as the cause of the police shootings? How about that, you police state lovers?
Anon.R.mous: "Then" is one word. "Than" is a completely different word. Why do you keep spelling them the same?
Zero Tolerance is bullshit. Folks have been adjusting their mental states for hundreds of thousands of years. The key is moderation. Too much will eventually kill you (if the cops don't get you first!).
Anonymous said...
Anon.R.mous: "Then" is one word. "Than" is a completely different word. Why do you keep spelling them the same?
Because I was taught English from a local teacher who thought it was much better to keep going on about the evils of Ronnie Ray-Gun then to teach me basic English skills. Any other questions?
faulkna is a perfect example of why we should have Zero Tolerance!
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