Anti-Crime Groups Cautiously Optimistic About New Drug Czar

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Vice President Joe Biden's announcement of the choice of Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske as the nation's drug czar on Wednesday elicited praise from Washington lawmakers, but cautious optimism from non-profit anti-crime groups.

In a statement, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) called the appointment a "wise choice" and said Kerlikowske "has a proven record of fighting drug crime and working to build safe and stable communities."

"Fighting drug use, trafficking, and violence takes an all hands on deck approach, and Chief Kerlikowske understands how to build coalitions," she added.

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) said the police chief was the right person for the job. "For years, Gil has seen the tragic effects drugs and crime can have on our communities, our youth and our families... As a police officer, Gil knows first hand that any strategy for tackling drugs in this country needs to combine law enforcement efforts with treatment and prevention programs," she said.

But Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, expressed disappointment over the nomination.

"While we're disappointed that President Obama has nominated a police chief instead of a major public health advocate as drug czar, we're cautiously optimistic that Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske will support Obama's drug policy reform agenda. What gives us hope is the fact that Seattle has been at the cutting edge of harm reduction and other drug policy reform developments in the United States over the last decade," Nadelmann said in a statement.

Kerlikowske's predecessor, former Seattle police chief Norm Stamper, also issued a cautious statement on behalf of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.

"There's hope. Gil Kerlikowske is a professional cop. While he didn't favor certain drug policy reforms as Seattle's police chief (marijuana as lowest enforcement priority, for example), he didn't fight them. I know some law enforcement officials who've thumbed their noses at similar voter initiatives. Gil's a strong supporter of drug treatment. These are promising signs," Stamper said in a statement.

"The open question is whether he'll entertain fundamental reform. It starts at the top. If the president and vice president signal a commitment to science, and to an honest conversation about the prohibition/drug war model, I think Gil will step up and lead the effort. Right now, that's a big if," he added.

Kerlikowske, who had been rumored to be a candidate for the job since last month, was named head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a post that had a Cabinet-level status during the Bush administration. The 59-year-old police chief is a 36-year in law enforcement veteran who is president of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, a national anti-crime group. He has an M.A. in criminal justice from the University of South Florida.

The Vice President was magnanimous in his praise for Kerlikowske during his announcement, saying the White House has " total confidence" in the police chief's ability to meet the "daunting" challenge of leading a new coordinated and comprehensive national drug strategy.

"There's no one more qualified to take on this job than the Chief. I've worked with him for years. He's served as the highest ranking law enforcement officer in four of our cities in the United States of America... He has been on the front lines in the battle against drugs as well. He's been recognized as one of the most innovative minds in law enforcement... I believe that [he] will lead our nation's efforts against illegal drugs with unshakable resolve and exceptional skill," Biden said.

In his remarks, Kerlikowske alluded to his son's drug record and arrest last month for a parole violation.

"The success of our efforts to reduce the flow of drugs is largely dependent on our ability to reduce demand for them. That starts with our youth. Our nation's drug problem is one of human suffering, and as a police officer but also in my own family, I have experienced the effects that drugs can have on our youth, our families and our communities," the police chief said.

Kerlikowske thanked his peers who were present during his nomination, including William Bratton chief of police of the Los Angeles police department and Ray Kelly commissioner of the New York Police. Calling for a "seamless, comprehensive approach" in the fight against drugs, he also said, "For too long, we have operated in silence when it comes to making our country drug free and reducing the demand for drugs. It's an incredibly complex problem, and it requires prosecutors and law enforcement, courts, treatment providers, and prevention programs to exchange information and to work together."