Editorial: Police lack of action baffles

Photo / File

Laws need to be applied evenly and consistently if they are to be respected.

Yet on Saturday a group of pot smokers were able to light up cannabis joints, bongs and cones as part of a public protest at a neighbourhood park against cannabis prohibition and police took no action against them.

J Day - a global day of protest against cannabis prohibition - took place at Tauranga's Yatton Park on Saturday with about 40 people taking part.

Those who did smoke cannabis during the protest clearly broke the law but oddly no one was arrested or charged.

This despite the fact protesters publicly announced their intention in the lead-up to the event.

Western Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton says police monitored the event to ensure public order was maintained.

However, he says, there were no complaints received, nor offences disclosed.

If, as reported, people were breaking the law then the lack of police action is puzzling. It also sends an odd message to pot smokers: you can get away with it as long as you organise a protest in a public place.

I can understand that police perhaps wanted to avoid creating a scene which protesters could use to generate more publicity but this concern needs to be balanced against the need to uphold law and order.

Were the police wary of being drawn into a public-relations minefield if arrests were made?

Tauranga Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman Ken Evans finds the police inaction baffling.

"A group of people announced ... they were going to break the law, by smoking cannabis, and the law enforcement appear to decide not to bother. The question would be, Why?"

It's a good question and one police need to answer.