Pubdate: Fri, 22 Jun 2012
Source: Chicago Tribune (IL)
Copyright: 2012 Chicago Tribune Company
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/IuiAC7IZ
Website: http://www.chicagotribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82
Authors: Hal Dardick and John Byrne

POT TICKET PLAN HEADED TO COUNCIL

Policy Clears Committee After Changes to Ease Aldermen's Concerns

A panel of Chicago aldermen spent three hours Thursday voicing 
skepticism about Mayor Rahm Emanuel's marijuana ticket proposal, then 
all but one council member voted for it.

If the plan wins final approval at Wednesday's City Council meeting, 
police could be issuing pot-possession tickets as early as July. 
Officers would continue to arrest people caught smoking marijuana or 
carrying it on park or school grounds. Authorities also would arrest 
anyone younger than 17 caught with pot or anyone they believed was 
trying to sell the drug.

The council's Public Safety Committee voted 13-1 in favor of the 
ordinance, which authorizes fines of $250 to $500.

Ald. Nicholas Sposato, 36th, cast the lone vote against. Under the 
measure, tickets could be issued for someone with 15 grams or less of 
marijuana, but Sposato wanted to lower the threshold to 5 grams. "I'm 
a little concerned with this, that we're delivering a bit of a wrong 
message to our most valued asset, and that's our youth," Sposato said.

There were some last-minute changes. Besides the fine, the city could 
force those ticketed to take part in drug awareness or education 
programs. Violators also could be required to do community service. 
In addition, the city still could impound offenders' vehicles.

The changes were designed to appease aldermen concerned that youths 
might get the impression that the city was going soft on pot. 
Sponsoring Ald. Daniel Solis, 25th, and police Superintendent Garry 
McCarthy said that was not the case.

At an unrelated event, Emanuel said the proposal is not 
decriminalization, although those who get tickets and comply with the 
penalties would avoid arrest and a possible misdemeanor conviction.

There's a penalty. It's wrong. But I'm going to make sure our police 
officers, our entire legal and criminal justice system is focused on 
the gangbangers," the mayor said.

As it is, charges are dropped against the "vast majority" of about 
20,000 people arrested each year for possession of small amounts of 
marijuana, McCarthy said. And each arrest takes up to four hours of 
police time, compared with about half an hour to issue a ticket and 
test the confiscated weed.

We are talking about actually holding people accountable for the 
offense," McCarthy said. "This ordinance will now allow our officers 
to remain on the streets and focus on fighting gangs and keeping our 
communities safe."

Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, questioned whether more tickets would be 
issued in poor minority communities than other areas, raising revenue 
on the backs of those who can least afford the hit. Responded Solis: 
"It's a revenue generator, but it's also a punishment for being 
caught with an illegal substance."

One of the most vocal skeptics in recent days had been influential 
Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, who suggested that allowing the issuance of 
tickets for pot possession was a slippery slope. But he said he was 
satisfied by the recent changes, policy clarifications and McCarthy's 
assurances.

The slope, Burke said, "is a lot less slippery today than it was 
three days ago." chicagotribune.com/ clout For more coverage of City 
Hall politics, visit the Tribune's Clout Street blog.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom