Howard Wooldridge

Howard Wooldridge turned an eight hour ride-along program into a police career of 18 years in Mid-Michigan, retiring as a detective from Bath Township. As an officer, he was recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, MADD, for his focus on arresting drunk drivers. He was called ‘Hiway Howie’ by his detractors, even as Bath Township went a record 6 years without a fatal accident.

He was a faculty member of Lansing Community College, teaching criminal report writing. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Michigan State University. Living abroad for over two years, he is fluent in German, French and Spanish & has traveled to 36 countries.

The travel bug came from his father who was 26 years a United States Marine. In 2003 he rode ‘Paul Revere’ style from Georgia to Oregon to educate Americans on the failure of modern prohibition. In 2005 he rode from Los Angeles to New York City advocating a public health approach to drugs. Due to his travels on horseback, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society. The first book in the new century written by a horse was his partner traveling across North America: Misty’s Long Ride by Smooth Georgia Mist.

Shortly after leaving police work, be became a bi-lingual speaker at Texas Rotary and Kiwanis clubs promoting an end to the War on Drugs. In 2002 he and four colleagues founded Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, serving on the Board of Directors from 2002 – 2007. He has testified before state committees in Annapolis, Richmond and Austin. He represented LEAP in Washington, DC from 2005-2009.

Wooldridge has been a guest lecturer at eight colleges and universities.

Howard’s CV:

Major Accomplishments

Graduate – Michigan State University 1976 – fluency in German, French and Spanish

Police Service – 18 years retiring as a detective

Advocacy – In 2003 Howard and horse Misty rode from Georgia to Oregon and 2005 from California to New York to encourage citizens to oppose prohibition: 13 months, 6,400 miles in the saddle.

Author – Misty’s Long Ride: Across North America on Horseback

2002: Co-Founder of LEAP – Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (www.leap.cc)

Texas Law Changes – 2003 credited when marijuana was added to treatment vs incarceration bill which the governor signed. Lobbied for ‘catch & release’ for marijuana possession: adopted 2007

New Mexico Law Change – 2005 provided the idea and background of Good Samaritan Law (overdose prevention) to Reena Szczepanski who worked for it to become law in 2007.

Capitol Hill efforts: 2006 -2009: established relationships with Congress by making over 1200 presentations to Members of Congress staff + conversations with 25 Members, urging end to Modern Prohibition and advocating a national, blue-ribbon commission to study the issue. Senator Webb introduced that bill in 2009.

Minor Accomplishments

2009- Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday Brunch meeting

400 drug policy presentations to civic groups, churches and other organization since 1999

200 media interviews, including broad exposure via NPR, Fox News, Al Jazeera & ESPN. 20 interviews were in Spanish, French and German.

Member – Panel Discussion in Spanish on Oppenheimer Presenta (Larry King of Latin America) -2009

Minor expert of Swiss heroin treatment system due to two trips to Bern Clinic & talks with govt officials

Keynote speaker at Southern Illinois University drug symposium – 2004: lectured at eight colleges

Prominently mentioned by nationally syndicated writer Kathleen Parker -2009*

Washington Post produced article and video clip of Capitol Hill activities– 2009**

Helped persuade former Congressman Tom Tancredo to go public with support for ending Modern Prohibition -2009

1998 – created a t-shirt & motto : COPS SAY LEGALIZE DRUGS – ASK ME WHY. 15,000 have asked me why & thus started conversations about Modern Prohibition. Motto was adopted for LEAP t-shirts in 2003.

* http://www.postwritersgroup.com/

** http://voices.washingtonpost.com/