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**Shemker394** · 08-21-2008, 04:34 PM

City panel to cops: Hold off on pot arrests during Democratic Convention

Nick Langewis
Published: Wednesday August 20, 2008

Denver police should refrain from penalizing adults for possession of small amounts of cannabis, up to an ounce, during the Democratic National Convention, the mayor's advisory panel said Wednesday.

While simple possession of small amounts is the city's lowest law enforcement priority thanks to initiatives passed by voters in 2005 and 2007, state law remains in place and enforceable. "We've always enforced the state statute," Denver Police spokesman Sonny Jackson said Monday. "That was the law before the initiative and it's nothing new. I don't know why we'd relax any law."

The Denver Marijuana Policy Review Panel, assembled by Mayor John Hickenlooper on December 21, 2007, has adopted a resolution:

The Marijuana Policy Review Panel recommends that the Denver Police Department should refrain from arresting, detaining, or issuing a citation to any adult 21 years of age or older for the private possession of up to one ounce of marijuana during the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

"The People of Denver have made it clear they do not want adults in this city punished for simply possessing a drug less harmful than alcohol," said SAFER founder and panel member Mason Tvert. "Tomorrow we will deliver an official memo from the panel to the chief of police and the mayor, and we expect police to abide by this very logical recommendation."

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

A press conference will be held at Denver's City and County Building, 1437 Bannock Street, on Thursday, August 21, at 12 noon. The official memorandum will then be delivered to Mayor Hickenlooper and the police chief.

A PDF copy of the memorandum is available to view HERE.

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Police to enforce pot laws during Dem. convention

Posted 2d 12h ago
DENVER (AP) — Pot smokers who light up during the Democratic National Convention can expected to get busted under state laws, even though a voter-approved city ordinance makes small amounts of marijuana the "lowest law enforcement priority," Denver Police said Monday.
"We've always enforced the state statute," police spokesman Sonny Jackson said. "That was the law before the initiative and it's nothing new. I don't know why we'd relax any law."

Mason Tvert, leader of the group that sponsored the ordinance that discourages marijuana busts, said city officials are ignoring the will of the voters.

He said a community-based panel on marijuana enforcement will meet Wednesday to get updated figures on enforcement, but preliminary figures show arrests are rising, not declining.

Last year, the city prosecuted 1,600 cases. Tvert said based on current numbers, the city is on track to increase that to 1,900 this year, not counting any surge of arrests that might take place during the convention.

"We're concerned during the Democratic National Convention that they are going to use the law to cite people or detain them," Tvert said.

The initiative passed easily in November 2007, despite protests from city officials who said it was meaningless because state law takes precedence over city ordinances.

Tvert and his group successfully pushed a 2005 initiative to legalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana for adults over 21, but the move failed to blunt arrests because authorities continued to enforce state laws.

Tvert tried to pass an identical measure at the state level but was rebuffed by statewide voters.

City Council member Doug Linkhart, who sits on the marijuana enforcement panel, said he believes police have made pot possession a low priority and doesn't think there will be any problem during the convention.

"The ordinance says lowest priority, it doesn't say stop prosecuting. I'm not concerned police will get carried away. I want police to focus on what's important, and I expect they will," Linkhart said.

08-21-2008, 04:34 PM	#3
Shemker394 Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 492 Senior Member	City panel to cops: Hold off on pot arrests during Democratic Convention Nick Langewis Published: Wednesday August 20, 2008 Denver police should refrain from penalizing adults for possession of small amounts of cannabis, up to an ounce, during the Democratic National Convention, the mayor's advisory panel said Wednesday. While simple possession of small amounts is the city's lowest law enforcement priority thanks to initiatives passed by voters in 2005 and 2007, state law remains in place and enforceable. "We've always enforced the state statute," Denver Police spokesman Sonny Jackson said Monday. "That was the law before the initiative and it's nothing new. I don't know why we'd relax any law." The Denver Marijuana Policy Review Panel, assembled by Mayor John Hickenlooper on December 21, 2007, has adopted a resolution: The Marijuana Policy Review Panel recommends that the Denver Police Department should refrain from arresting, detaining, or issuing a citation to any adult 21 years of age or older for the private possession of up to one ounce of marijuana during the 2008 Democratic National Convention. "The People of Denver have made it clear they do not want adults in this city punished for simply possessing a drug less harmful than alcohol," said SAFER founder and panel member Mason Tvert. "Tomorrow we will deliver an official memo from the panel to the chief of police and the mayor, and we expect police to abide by this very logical recommendation." "If police expect the taxpayers to cover their $1.2 million in overtime during the DNC," he added, "it is only fair that they respect the laws adopted by those taxpayers. There will be plenty for police to do during the DNC aside from arresting or citing adults who are simply making the safer choice to use marijuana instead of alcohol." A press conference will be held at Denver's City and County Building, 1437 Bannock Street, on Thursday, August 21, at 12 noon. The official memorandum will then be delivered to Mayor Hickenlooper and the police chief. A PDF copy of the memorandum is available to view HERE. *** Police to enforce pot laws during Dem. convention** Posted 2d 12h ago DENVER (AP) — Pot smokers who light up during the Democratic National Convention can expected to get busted under state laws, even though a voter-approved city ordinance makes small amounts of marijuana the "lowest law enforcement priority," Denver Police said Monday. "We've always enforced the state statute," police spokesman Sonny Jackson said. "That was the law before the initiative and it's nothing new. I don't know why we'd relax any law." Mason Tvert, leader of the group that sponsored the ordinance that discourages marijuana busts, said city officials are ignoring the will of the voters. He said a community-based panel on marijuana enforcement will meet Wednesday to get updated figures on enforcement, but preliminary figures show arrests are rising, not declining. Last year, the city prosecuted 1,600 cases. Tvert said based on current numbers, the city is on track to increase that to 1,900 this year, not counting any surge of arrests that might take place during the convention. "We're concerned during the Democratic National Convention that they are going to use the law to cite people or detain them," Tvert said. The initiative passed easily in November 2007, despite protests from city officials who said it was meaningless because state law takes precedence over city ordinances. Tvert and his group successfully pushed a 2005 initiative to legalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana for adults over 21, but the move failed to blunt arrests because authorities continued to enforce state laws. Tvert tried to pass an identical measure at the state level but was rebuffed by statewide voters. City Council member Doug Linkhart, who sits on the marijuana enforcement panel, said he believes police have made pot possession a low priority and doesn't think there will be any problem during the convention. "The ordinance says lowest priority, it doesn't say stop prosecuting. I'm not concerned police will get carried away. I want police to focus on what's important, and I expect they will," Linkhart said.
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