Mr. António Manuel Leitão da Silva:

I will divide the question. It is challenging for the police. As I mentioned previously, there is a gap in the law taking into account the public use of drugs. As a police officer I believe the law should revisit that specific area because, at the end of the day, the public exposure of drug use has a direct impact on the sense of security everyone should have. That is one thing. I fully agree with Deputy McAuliffe because most of the complaints we have right now are about the huge public use of drugs, including the abandoned syringes and other paraphernalia of drug use.

Second, our experience reveals that police action on a daily basis is based on confidence the police establish with the public. Related to this is the concept of the public as a little bit diverse. It is not just the good public but there is also the other public where some are connected with illicit activities. In this specific perspective, the relationship between police officers and drug users is much better right now than it was in the past. Similarly, the relationship of drug users with the police is better as well. I know that the police can never say they have nothing to do with drugs, because drug issues have a secondary impact in other criminal activities and especially in crimes committed against property such as thefts of cars and houses and so on. Since 2001, the police have gained space for other interactions with the community. In terms of community policing, or police de proximité as the French say, I believe we are in a much better position right now than in the past. Decriminalising drugs definitely had an impact on that.