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Drug Trade

Memorandum
University of San Diego

James Kidd

UnUni
MEMO

TO: CHIEF STONEWALL


FROM: LIEUTENANT KIDD
DATE: JUNE 8, 2017
RE: DRUG TRADE MEMORANDUM

Chief,

Our community has experienced the negative impacts that the illegal drug trade creates. The

consequences of drug abuse affect the individuals along with their friends, families, businesses, and city

resources. Law enforcement and interdiction are critical elements in the effort to reduce the drug trade.

Prescription drugs are becoming one of the top emerging threats to public health and requires new

approaches to drug enforcement. Drug related violence continues to impact our community as we are

currently investigating another drug related homicide.

American drug policy has created unintended consequences that specifically impact our area. We

are located less than 4 hours from the Mexico border. Major highways are being utilized for drug

trafficking and our city has become a distribution hub. As the drug penalties are enhanced, specifically for

marijuana, the trade becomes more professionalized (LEPSL 500 3.1). The reallocation of law

enforcement that hindered trade routes through Florida has essentially created an international

replacement affect, and places our community directly in the path of current trade routes. The Mexican

drug cartels now dominate international drug trafficking and according to the U.S. Department estimates

that 90% of cocaine enters through our southern border (LEPSL 500 3.1).

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Prescription drug abuse has presented its own set of challenges. Our department has investigated

several incidents at the high school in regards to students selling and being in possession of Oxycontin.

Our School Resource Officers note that there appears to be a push of the drug culture into the lives of

those who are not necessarily involved with drugs or the drug trade, but want to appear to act and look

like the drug dealers (Moskos P. 2008). According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, approximately

20% of high school students will have used a prescription drug for a non-medical purpose (Perry, H.S.

2017). After marijuana and alcohol, prescription drugs are the most commonly misused substances by

Americans age 14 and older (National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens).

The departments investigation revealed that drugs were related in the most recent homicide case.

On May 20, 2017 a 24 year old male shot and killed a 29 year old over a dispute in drug sales

(Sanangelolive.com, 2017). Peter Moskos argues that the majority of drug markets is relatively nonviolent

with the exception of open-air drug markets (Moskos, 2008). Research also indicates that drugs and

violence has always been assumed, but there is still no adequate conceptual tools to critically understand

the relationship (LEPSL 500 3.2). When we examine the homicide utilizing the three-tiered model

approach, psychopharmacological model, economic compulsion model and systemic model in the

relationship between drugs, drug markets, and violence. Evidence indicates this case was the systemic

model. This drug-related homicide is a byproduct of the unregulated and illegal underground market for

drugs (LEPSL 500 3.2). The argument between the two users were over the drugs themselves. The

overwhelming majority of drug-related homicides fall into being a byproduct of the systemic model

(LEPSL 500 3.2).

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There are several negative effects of the drug trade that affect our community. These effects range

from being a public health issue, to violent crimes, and local economic consequences that place a burden

on resources. Drug sales often draw other illegal activities to our area and create a glorified pill-popping

culture among high school students. Drug trades are difficult to police due to its profitability (LEPSL 500

3.1). In order to address these challenges our department will need to identify and incorporate new

approaches to drug enforcement.

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References:

Fritsvold, Erik, LEPSL 500 Critical Issues in Law Enforcement and Public Safety. Module 3 Presentation
1. University of San Diego 2017

Fritsvold, Erik, LEPSL 500 Critical Issues in Law Enforcement and Public Safety. Module 3 Presentation
2. University of San Diego 2017

Moskos, P. (2008). Cop in the hood: my year policing Baltimores eastern district. Princeton, NJ: Princeton
University Press.

Perry, H. S. (2017, March 22). These are the top drugs abused by high school students. Retrieved June 09,
2017, from http://clark.com/health-health-care/top-drugs-abused-high-school-students/

Suspect Confesses To Shooting Brownwood Man In The Head. (2017, May 26). Retrieved June 08, 2017,
from http://sanangelolive.com/news/crime/2017-05-26/suspect-confesses-shooting-brownwood-man-
head

The National Institute on Drug Abuse Blog Team. (). Prescription Drugs. Retrieved from
https://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/prescription-drugs on June 9, 2017.

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