Shopping malls have been designated "drug-free zones" by the Legislature, meaning areas that attract youths and families should get special attention by law enforcement agencies to prevent drugs from being used or sold.
But a Layton police officer provided an unsavory kind of attention to patrons at the Layton Hills Mall, actually inviting them to buy and smoke marijuana.The "reverse sting" tactic employed by the officer was totally inappropriate as an appeals court judge said this week in a stinging rebuke after the court upheld the conviction of a 17-year-old who accepted the officer's invitation.
Police officers should take all appropriate means to reduce the use and distribution of drugs of all kinds, especially in areas frequented by young people. But the image of a police officer trying to sell pot to mall patrons is repugnant.
In randomly tempting minors to break the law, this officer stepped over the line between traditional "sting" operations in which an officer buys drugs from a suspected dealer and initiating illegal drug sales.
The youth who bought the drug deserves his punishment under the letter of the law, but the Layton police department and Davis Metro Narcotics Task Force for whom the officer worked deserve the judge's reprimand.
There are better ways to enforce drug laws and discourage drug use without resorting to a tactic that has police officers roaming the halls of shopping malls offering marijuana randomly to shoppers who are not suspected of breaking any law.
The Davis County task force has rightfully suspended the operation. We can only hope other law enforcement agencies learn from its mistake.