JUSTIN DOLAN
Retired Police Detective

"I never thought this was a winnable war. I didn't know what we should do, but I knew that what we were doing wasn't working."

Justin Dolan grew up listening to his father and uncle tell stories about police work and he wanted nothing more than to follow in their footsteps. After a successful, seven-year career in business management, Justin attended police academy, receiving the top academic student and best marksmen awards. After graduation, he also stood out as a dedicated officer. His department waived the five-year requirement to allow him to move up to detective-after just two years of service as a police officer-and he also earned an officer of the year award two years in a row. Unfortunately, his law enforcement career ended after an accident in the line of duty. While arresting two individuals at 2 a.m., a fight and chase broke out on the interstate. He was struck by a car and spent nearly a month in a coma.

Justin underwent 40 major operations to help repair his injuries and today he has his own business. He gladly offers up his time and experience to speak out against what he knows to be a failed public policy. In fact, Justin says he knew the "war on drugs" was a failure before he began his work in law enforcement.

"My father was a Customs Investigator and we were very close. He was open and honest about the fact that when they would arrest someone for bringing in drugs, they arrested mules (people who were threatened with harm to their families if they didn't transport drugs) but they were never arresting the big guy."

Justin also says his work as a police officer clarified for him the problems related to drug use and the impacts of prohibition. "My first hand look into our drug war proved to me that our current policy can never reduce drug use, or control its associated harms. Prohibition has failed to produce any of its promised goals and by every measure the 'war on drugs' is a failure."

Atlanta, Georgia