Pot arrests have plummeted under Kerlikowske’s watch. When he took office in 2000, Seattle police arrested 332 people for misdemeanor marijuana possession (.pdf); by 2006, the number had dropped to 148. Some of that decline is likely due to Seattle passing Initiative 75, which made marijuana enforcement the city’s lowest law-enforcement priority. But Kerlikowske didn’t try to block I-75. While City Attorney Tom Carr joined Bush’s Drug Czar John Walters at a press conference to oppose the measure—and Carr campaigned against the measure for months—Kerlikoske was mum. And after voters passed the law in 2003, SPD told a City Council Marijuana Policy Review Panel that “officers [had] been verbally advised during their roll calls that investigation and arrest of adults for possession of cannabis intended for personal use is to be their lowest priority.” At Hempfest—where tens of thousands of people smoke pot in unison—SPD sergeant Lou Eagle told a reporter, “We are not out there to enforce the marijuana laws.” And medical-marijuana patients, who could still be arrested despite the state’s medical-pot law, found Kerlikowske fair. Had Kerlikowske chosen, SPD could have maintained or increased pot arrests. But he didn’t.
via The Stranger | Slog | Czar Struck: Obama’s Brilliant Pick for Drug Czar.
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This is good news.
Its true yall, I think. I have a story and I’ll try and be brief.
My company Urb Age Designs vends the SHF (Seattle Hemp Fest) every year, for the last 6, 7 this year. From my booth I see alot cause behind it on the rocks is where people burn down. Cops know it too. I was sitting there in my booth and I saw 2 kids, blaze up, young teens. The cop saw too…and he went over there. I watched him for a good 5 to 10 mins, talking to them, then I see them give him there bag. “I thought, Oh shit here we go.”
But to my dismay, he patted them on the back and they left. I thought “OMG, he just let them go”. I had to talk with that cop. I went over and said “Sir, I dont want to be out of line, but I just saw that whole incident go down. I just want to thank you for how you handled that and make sure you know it.” He looked at me and said “I/we dont want to arrest you guys, the laws are bad and we know it. We know yall are good people, we just need to make sure your safe.”
This Kerlikowske guy was the chief when this happened and I have no doubt, the mentality started from the top down.
Im very hopeful…..