Plainsman1963

Problems with pot expected
Taunton police chief worries over more marijuana consumption
01-04-2009 | TauntonGazette.Com | Charles Winokoor

The city’s top cop says he doesn’t want to see the Silver City go to pot.
“I see big problems,” Taunton Police Chief Raymond O’Berg said, when asked to comment on the repercussions of a new state law that took effect Thursday — decriminalizing possession of less than an ounce of marijuana to that of a simple civil offense.

O’Berg believes the passage of ballot Question 2 by voters in November — which stipulates that police issue a $100 fine in lieu of making an arrest — will only encourage public consumption of the Class D drug and contribute to a general sense of lawlessness.
He’s also convinced that an increase in smoking pot and driving will lead to a spike in accidents and road deaths. The new law, though, does not repeal existing laws prohibiting driving while under the influence of a drug.

But according to the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security there is some wiggle room for cities and towns to take a tougher stance against people caught with less than an ounce of cannabis.

The EOPSS said municipalities can pass their own ordinances prohibiting the smoking of grass, hash or hash oil in public, specifically allowing them “to provide for additional penalties” for those who do so.

As a matter of fact, the EOPSS has gone on the record encouraging municipalities to adopt such by-laws that would “provide police with the option of treating public use [of marijuana] as a misdemeanor [criminal] offense.”

That’s exactly what O’Berg had in mind two weeks ago, when he submitted a letter to the City Council urging the city to pass an ordinance that would a) increase fines from $100 to $300 and b) allow police to arrest anyone caught smoking marijuana in either a public area or public building.

“I’d like to at least see it treated the same as drinking in public,” O’Berg said Saturday, adding that “We can’t afford to look the other way.”
Issuing tickets won’t be a problem. The chief said his officers already have plenty of 21D citation books at their disposal.

But the logistics of determining whether someone has less than an ounce of contraband will require the use of one of two electronic scales within the department— one of which is kept in the booking room and the other in the patrol car of the sergeant in charge during the shift, he said.

Mayor Charles Crowley noted the absurdity of the image of officers on patrol having to tote around a scale. “It’s difficult enough for our police to do their jobs,” Crowley said.
But the mayor withheld comment on the merits of O’Berg’s recommendations other than to say that he will “discuss the options with the chief.”

What he said he is certain of is that decriminalizing marijuana laws creates “a gray area” with which the legal system will have to contend. “Now it’s not clear if [possessing marijuana] is legal or not,” Crowley said.

O’Berg is not alone in pressing for tougher enforcement penalties: Other police chiefs have stated that they too will propose ordinances to counter the law as it now stands.
Not all local officials have been as reticent as Crowley in expressing their view on the subject.

In September, during a press conference held on the steps of New Bedford Superior Court, Fall River Mayor Robert Correia bemoaned the impact the new law might have.
“Just think of the message this would send to every single middle and high school student,” Correia was quoted in The Standard Times.

Also on hand that day were police chiefs, prosecutors and Bristol County District Attorney Samuel Sutter. Taunton attorney and state Rep. James Fagan, D-Taunton, said he understood O’Berg’s concern, but regarded the chief’s overture to increase fines as “over-reaching.”

The bottom line, Fagan stressed, is that 65 percent of Bay State voters threw their support behind Question 2. But one police source said that not being able to arrest an individual for possessing under an ounce shortchanges cops a tool for at least temporarily getting “some little gang-banger off the street.”

A 25-year-old man eating breakfast in Off Broadway Diner on Sunday, who would only identify himself as Todd, said he supports Chief O’Berg’s tough stance.
“I know how fast $100 comes to a drug dealer,” he said, suggesting that perhaps the $300 fine could be imposed after a first offense of $100.

Comments section available on site

thewayiroll

I feel the actual "BIG PROBLEM": is the Police chief did not get what he voted for!!!! He needs to go do something important instead of "ACTING" like its going to be a huge problem. The problem is many law enforcement are scared of the people with cocaine,meth,and herion but, Marijuana is an easy arrest and a majority of the time extremely safe.METH ,CRACK, COCAINE ,HERION are deadly, addictive and often lead to very violent crimes. All law enforcement need to get educated and doing something productive with there career instead harrassing an adult/ individual who entertains himself by smoking a GOD GIVEN PLANT when he has worked hard and provided for his family all day. I and many others have been in legal trouble over the years and for me; every time ALCOHOL was involved and its LEGAL!!!! With 26 years of recreational Marijuana, I graduated from college and I am involved in my local church, kiwanis club, work 40-50 hrs a week attend night school twice a week to add to my degree. Chief if you would spend more time on educating kids on drinking thats a great way to save lives.....Educating on Marijuana will be good for all ESPECIALLY those who oppose it and have NO IDEA how beneficial and harmless it is for many people..You cannot overdose on it, you can grow it indoors or outdoors the govt says their were 68.1 million plants grown in the U.S. in 2006!!! In 25 years the U.S. from growing 2.2 million pounds to 22 million in 2006.Please quit wasting our hard earned money on making laws and jobs that are extremely unsuccessful. Work for the people not against us.

frolic

In every state that has lowered the fine for less than an ounce, like California, they feared a rise in the use and attitudes of pot pushers. The fears never materialized. Crazy paranoid cops.

__________________
"Where the hell is my comb?"
Einstein

LowRider

also if a person is going to drive under influence whether its beer or marijuana there going to do it. I'd much rather have a high person than a drunk person driving next to me than a drunk.

dj Dozhe

Writer wants to make story involving drugs and fear. Writer looks at info relating to drug use increase as a direct causal effect of lesser penalties for personal marijuana possession. Writer finds NOTHING. Writer then interviews someone who is in no way an authority on the subject. Sheeple cower. Worthless article win.

lit4lyfe

i fell the same as alex... those cops are just paranoid... its not like more people are just going to light up now then before... i just moved here from chicago and i hate to see this law get abused by people... its key if u get caught up with some personal while your out... if ur not a dealer ur prolly not gonna be rolling around with and ounce anyways..... ey alex where u live??