2025-06-12 –, BS 3.16 - 60 cap.
Background
The decriminalization of drug possession requires a fundamental shift in how police operate, yet little is known about how officers interpret and navigate this transition. In January 2023, British Columbia implemented a three-year policy decriminalizing the personal possession of certain drugs. While research has focused on the public health and social impacts of decriminalization, less attention has been given to how police officers navigate its operational effects and how they adapt to these changes.
Objectives
This study explores the impact of decriminalization on how police operate and the implications of this on the role of police.
Methods
Qualitative data were drawn from 30 semi-structured interviews with police officers across British Columbia between November 2023 and March 2024. Thematic analysis explored the operationalization of decriminalization, officers' perceptions of their role, and the broader implications for policing.
Findings
Officers reported several operational changes following the decriminalization policy, including restrictions on police discretion and authority, less capacity for “proactive” policing, and challenges in conducting drug trafficking investigations. These changes created conflicts as officers attempted to balance public safety with decriminalization directives. Our findings show how officers felt caught between conflicting political and community expectations, leading to tensions in their professional identity and decision-making processes.
Implications
This study highlights the complexities of policing amid rapid drug policy change and the tensions officers experience as their role evolves. Findings provide insight into how police departments and officers adapt to policy shifts, offering lessons for jurisdictions considering similar reforms.
Winifred Agnew-Pauley, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Criminology
Sarah Ferencz, PhD Student, University of British Columbia, Political Science;
Amanda Butler, Assistant Professor, Simon Fraser University, Criminology
Alissa Greer, Assistant Professor, Simon Fraser University, Criminology
Winnie Agnew-Pauley is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Simon Fraser University’s School of Criminology, where she researches the policing of drug decriminalization in British Columbia, Canada. She completed her PhD at Flinders University (Australia), examining the police use of stop and search in England, using a critical realist and ethnographic approach. Her research interests focus on the policing of drugs and drug policy reform.