Friday, August 22, 2008

Are cops `breaking law' with pot busts?

Police won't stop busts



Gene Davis, DDN Staff Writer
Friday, August 22, 2008



The Denver Police Department is "breaking the law" by ignoring a city-appointed panel's recommendation for a moratorium on marijuana citations during the Democratic National Convention, charged Marijuana Policy Review Panel member Mason Tvert.

However, the Denver Police Department (DPD) pointed to the fact that they were allowed to ignore the panel's recommendation.

"The city attorney has a pretty strong stance that we can't relax the laws," said DPD spokesman Sonny Jackson. "We have to take the laws that are on the books and enforce them. Obviously that's what we are charged with."

The Marijuana Policy Review Panel voted 5-3 with two abstentions in favor of passing a moratorium on marijuana citations during the DNC. The panel's memo was delivered yesterday to Mayor John Hickenlooper and the Denver police chief.

"If police expect the taxpayers to cover their $1.2 million in overtime during the DNC, it is only fair that they respect the laws adopted by those taxpayers," said a statement from Tvert. "There will be plenty for people to do during the DNC aside from arresting or citing adults who are simply making the safer choice to use marijuana instead of alcohol."




Review panel

The review panel, whose members include city officials, attorneys and community leaders, was assembled last year after voters approved a second initiative to make marijuana enforcement the police department's lowest priority. The initiative required Hickenlooper to appoint the policy review panel.

"The mayor appointed all of these people so we expect them to be respected," said Tvert.

While panel members might be respected, that doesn't mean the DPD will be paying attention to their recommendation. DPD has said several times that if they encounter people using or in possession of marijuana, they will take action.

"If you see something going on, you can not ignore it," said Jackson. "We're charged with enforcing the laws that are on the books."




Linkhart: No big deal

Councilman Dough Linkhart was one of the three people on the review panel who voted against the moratorium. The councilman told the Denver Daily News earlier this week that he doesn't think marijuana enforcement will be a huge deal when the political convention rolls into town.

"The ordinance says lowest priority, it doesn't say stop prosecuting," he said. "I'm not concerned police will get carried away."



http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=1609

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