Barry Cooper (lecturer)
Encyclopedia
Barry Cooper is an anti-drug-war lecturer known for his DVD series, "Never Get Busted" and his reality show, KopBusters. Cooper formerly served as a law enforcement officer.
until age ten when his family moved to Texas
. He then began training dogs
in obedience, hunting, and working with livestock. Cooper was also the pastor of a church for a number of years.
Police Department as a police dispatcher. He was later hired by the Big Sandy
Police Department as an interdiction officer in East Texas and trained his own narcotic detection dog. According to his former West Texas Drug Taskforce boss, Barry Cooper was “probably the best narcotics officer in the state and maybe the country.”
As a law enforcement officer, Cooper confiscated large amounts of illegal narcotics and drug money. Cooper cited that he began to notice that people who were arrested for possession of marijuana
were nonviolent and cooperative in contrast to the people that were arrested for violations while intoxicated on alcohol who “[…] would fight and scream and act crazy.” He also noted being deeply affected by the emotional trauma he witnessed while participating in home narcotic raids with other officers attired in raid gear and “more guns than we would ever need.” Cooper also stated, “We’re sending the kids to the department of human services, we’re sending the parents to jail over marijuana. Well, I knew some of these people and I knew they weren’t gangsters. I knew they were nonviolent people.” He quit law enforcement soon after.
in the 2010 Texas Attorney General Race on a "pro-pot, pro-gun, pro-family platform."
He had previously filed as a Libertarian candidate for U.S. Congress District 31 in Texas.
In 2010, he attempted to run for Texas Attorney General, but was forced to drop out of the race due to multiple arrests. The charges, which Cooper believes were instigated due to his activism and political motivation, were all either dropped, thrown out by the prosecutor, or settled by a plea bargain. In interview, Cooper has stated that he believes the charges were brought against him in order to keep him out of Texas politics.
Early life
Cooper was raised in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
until age ten when his family moved to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He then began training dogs
Dog training
Dog training is the process of teaching skills or behaviors to a dog. This can include teaching a dog to respond to certain commands, or helping the dog learn coping skills for stressful environments. Dog training often includes operant conditioning, classical conditioning, or non-associative...
in obedience, hunting, and working with livestock. Cooper was also the pastor of a church for a number of years.
Law enforcement years
Cooper began his law enforcement career with the GladewaterGladewater, Texas
Gladewater is a city in Gregg and Upshur Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 6,228 at the 2010 census. U.S. Highway 80 traverses the city....
Police Department as a police dispatcher. He was later hired by the Big Sandy
Big Sandy, Texas
Big Sandy is a town in Upshur County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town's population was 1,288. A lake of the same name is cut nearly in half by U.S. Highway 80, the main thoroughfare of Big Sandy....
Police Department as an interdiction officer in East Texas and trained his own narcotic detection dog. According to his former West Texas Drug Taskforce boss, Barry Cooper was “probably the best narcotics officer in the state and maybe the country.”
As a law enforcement officer, Cooper confiscated large amounts of illegal narcotics and drug money. Cooper cited that he began to notice that people who were arrested for possession of marijuana
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
were nonviolent and cooperative in contrast to the people that were arrested for violations while intoxicated on alcohol who “[…] would fight and scream and act crazy.” He also noted being deeply affected by the emotional trauma he witnessed while participating in home narcotic raids with other officers attired in raid gear and “more guns than we would ever need.” Cooper also stated, “We’re sending the kids to the department of human services, we’re sending the parents to jail over marijuana. Well, I knew some of these people and I knew they weren’t gangsters. I knew they were nonviolent people.” He quit law enforcement soon after.
Political career
Cooper ran as a LibertarianLibertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
in the 2010 Texas Attorney General Race on a "pro-pot, pro-gun, pro-family platform."
He had previously filed as a Libertarian candidate for U.S. Congress District 31 in Texas.
In 2010, he attempted to run for Texas Attorney General, but was forced to drop out of the race due to multiple arrests. The charges, which Cooper believes were instigated due to his activism and political motivation, were all either dropped, thrown out by the prosecutor, or settled by a plea bargain. In interview, Cooper has stated that he believes the charges were brought against him in order to keep him out of Texas politics.