Mexico’s New Drug Law Worries U.S. Police
from the Associated Press
Mexico now has one of the world's most liberal laws for drug users after eliminating jail time for small amounts of marijuana, cocaine and even heroin, LSD and methamphetamine. Stunned police on the U.S. side of the border say the law contradicts President Felipe Calderon's drug war, and some fear it could make Mexico a destination for drug-fueled spring breaks and tourism. More

28,000 Pounds of Marijuana Seized Near Temecula
from The Press-Enterprise
Riverside County, Calif. sheriff's deputies seized more than 28,000 pounds of marijuana Wednesday after they pulled over a big rig near Temecula in what was described as a routine traffic stop on the freeway, authorities said. By late afternoon, law enforcement officers were still tallying the multimillion-dollar haul at an undisclosed location, but Gutierrez said it is believed to be the single largest marijuana seizure ever made by the Sheriff's Department. More

Cash Giveaway Brings 76 Arrests
from the Sun Sentinel
Convinced they were picking up money being given away by a government agency, 76 Florida people were instead picked up by police when they arrived to collect their prize. There was no cash and no agency: It was all an elaborate setup by Fort Lauderdale police to arrest suspects wanted on various warrants.More

Eight Laid-Off Fort Pierce Police Officers Rehired
from WPBF
Eight Fort Pierce, Fla. police officers who were laid off in July just got their jobs back. Budget cuts forced the Fort Pierce Police Department to fire the officers. However, federal stimulus dollars allowed the department to rehire the officers. More

Proper Off-Duty Equipment
from Officer.com
Off duty officers carry much less equipment than their on-duty counterparts do. What do officers read repeatedly about on-duty officers who rushed into a situation and failed to wait for back up? Unfortunately, the author has read too many of the articles about how these guys died. Read on for this officer’s opinion on the proper amount of off-duty equipment. More

Scam Artists Ask for Money in Kentucky Sheriff’s Name
from the Williamson Daily News
Everyone with a telephone can relate to receiving unwanted calls from telemarketers or groups asking for donations. Most people ignore these calls, but if the phone representative on the other end claims to be calling for a local agency, people may feel like they should listen or even donate to the cause. Scammers have used this to their advantage by using the Pike County Sheriff’s Department’s name in a recent scam. “We found out about it on Monday when we received three to four complaints about calls seeking contributions for the Sheriff’s Department,” said Sheriff Charles “Fuzzy” Keesee. They ask for money for new equipment and selling ads for a yearly calendar.” More

Tennessee Introduces New Approach Aimed at Reducing Recidivism
from the Chattanooga Times Free Press
Repeat offenders continue to trouble local and state law enforcement officials, who say a new approach is needed to prevent criminals from repeatedly cycling through the prison system. More

Warden Digs Deep for Job
from the Santa Fe New Mexican
Every correctional officer understands the importance of carefully searching for dangerous contraband in a high-risk prison facility. But not every officer is willing to crawl under prisoners' bunks and dig into heater vents during every cell search to apply the level of attention such a task requires. At the Penitentiary of New Mexico, Officer Archie Martinez is an exception to the norm, according to his supervisors. Martinez is described as "savvy and aware of (his) surroundings" and possessing a "proactive intellect for identifying potential problems." Deputy Warden Lawrence Jaramillo terms this degree of diligence "the Archie Martinez course of action" -- and it earned Martinez a Certificate of Excellence for 2009. More

Cell Phone Smuggling a Growing Problem in Prisons
from The News & Observer
Mobile phones can make their way into N.C. prisons in hollowed-out books and hidden inside tennis balls tossed over fences. Cigarettes have long substituted for currency behind bars. But for the state prison system, the illicit use of phones by inmates is a growing problem. “It's a huge issue for us, as it is [for] prison systems all across the country,” said Keith Acree, spokesman for the state Department of Correction. "We're finding hundreds of cell phones a year inside prisons." More