In total, 7,841 people signed the petition entitled “Street dealing is enough! Zero tolerance!”, which was delivered on Tuesday, at noon, to the president of the Grand Council of Vaud. This mainly asks the cantonal authorities to strengthen the police presence in sensitive places, especially in Yverdon-les-Bains, Vevey and Lausanne.
In particular, it is requested a “permanent control of public places, where there is dealing by the intermunicipal police and by the gendarmerie”, a “removal and sanctions of dealers by a permanent presence of the police” as well as “d “ensure public health and tranquility and particularly protect young and vulnerable people who risk being influenced by dealers who approach them, or even being victims of certain attacks.”
In September, Lausanne, Vevey and Yverdon-les-Bains called on the Canton for help, describing the situation “in many respects out of control”. Their wish: to act on the criminal justice chain, in the hands of the cantons. This is also the opinion of the Federal Council last week. He responded to a postulate from national councilor Jacques Nicolet (UDC/VD) who wanted to analyze a tightening of the law, in particular the detention of drug dealers against whom an expulsion has been pronounced.
But the Federal Council does not want it. “The relevant criminal provisions of the law on narcotics in force already constitute a sufficient legal instrument to combat street trafficking,” he believes, also affirming that it is up to the cantons to act.
