Flint, MI voted to decriminalize marijuana possession, police vow to violate new law

[Lucille]

I love it when the government blatantly defies the will of the voters. I wonder how many more libertarians this move will create.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/125756.html


On Tuesday, voters in Flint, Michigan enacted a measure decriminalizing possession of less than an ounce of marijuana by people 19 or older.

The municipal government afflicting that city blithely responded by saying, in effect, that it doesn’t take orders from the people whom they supposedly represent: "The ballot proposal approved by Flint voters creating an exemption under city ordinance to allow persons at least 19 years old to possess less than one ounce of marijuana is symbolic in nature. It does not decriminalize possession of marijuana."

Police Chief Alvern Locke candidly asserted that the officers under his command will simply defy the new law: “We’re still police officers and we’re still empowered to enforce the laws of the state of Michigan and the United States. We’re still going to enforce the laws as we’ve been enforcing them.”

Prior to the election, Patrick Richard, a state police Detective who heads the federally funded Flint Area Narcotics Group (whose acronym, appropriately, is FANG), said that passage of the decriminalization measure wouldn’t “affect the way we do business.”

[NIU Students for Liberty]

So much for law enforcement.

[Expatriate]

Prior to the election, Patrick Richard, a state police Detective who heads the federally funded Flint Area Narcotics Group (whose acronym, appropriately, is FANG), said that passage of the decriminalization measure wouldn’t “affect the way we do business.”

Yeah, because the drug war is way too lucrative a business to just give up on because the public is against it.

[Lucille]

So much for law enforcement.

LOL...

More:


Similar measures also received strong support from voters around the state on Election Day.

A Grand Rapids proposal amends that city's charter to decriminalize the drug. Rather than misdemeanor charges, marijuana violations will be civil infractions punishable by a fine of $25 for a first offense, and rising to a maximum of $100 for subsequent offenses.

Detroit voters supported a measure that will allow people 21 and over to possess less than an ounce of marijuana on private property without facing arrest and prosecution under the city code, while Ypsilanti voters agreed to amend the city charter to make the use and consumption of one ounce or less of marijuana by adults 21 years or older the lowest priority of law enforcement personnel.

"These cities are very good representations of the state," said Morrissey.

A Detroit advocate of marijuana decriminalization called city ordinances aimed at liberating marijuana use, as well as state efforts across the U.S., "the death of prohibition by a thousand cuts."

[jkr]

the way we do business

fire these tyrants!

[sailingaway]

Obama had better be careful, or his party had, legalizing it got more votes in CO than Obama got.

[AGRP]

So much for law enforcement.

http://melissadesa.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/10_funny_celebrity_gifs3.gif

[The Goat]

Maybe the heads need to organize a smoke out in the police headquarters. XD

[phill4paul]

Whatever happened to the cop mantra: "I just enforce the laws. If you don't like them then change them."

[AGRP]

If they are unlawfully arresting people then they should be charged with false imprisonment and kidnapping.

[Dr.3D]

If they are unlawfully arresting people then they should be charged with false imprisonment and kidnapping.
Well they are confused as to what laws they need to arrest people for. Of course to maintain their ability to receive federal funds, they are going to arrest people for state and federal violations and violate local laws in the process.

[angelatc]

What's wry about this is that the Michigan ballot Prop 1 was an initiative that would have allowed the state government to step in and assume control of local governments when they were in financial trouble. It was a tool to both help the cities avoid bankruptcy and allow the state to seize control of the city / town affected.

I absolutely promise you that every single one of the Flint officers in the article opposed the measure because it would take control away from the local government and give it to the state.

[Dr.3D]

What's wry about this is that the Michigan ballot Prop 1 was an initiative that would have allowed the state government to step in and assume control of local governments when they were in financial trouble. It was a tool to both help the cities avoid bankruptcy and allow the state to seize control of the city / town affected.

I absolutely promise you that every single one of the Flint officers in the article opposed the measure because it would take control away from the local government and give it to the state.
As I recall, all six proposals failed. So even with the union workers voting for proposal 2, it still failed. I find that pretty interesting.

[dillo]

well on the bright side they can just Defund the police or hire a new sheriff that will abide by their rules

[Dr.3D]

well on the bright side they can just Defund the police or hire a new sheriff that will abide by their rules
Well the problem there is, the Sheriff is elected and his position is country wide. The entire county would have to decriminalize marijuana possession for that to work.

[angelatc]

As I recall, all six proposals failed. So even with the union workers voting for proposal 2, it still failed. I find that pretty interesting.

The union had a hand in a lot of the proposals. There was another one that would have made anybody getting government money to take care of the disabled people a union healthcare worker. So if you have a daughter that qualifies for state assistance, suddenly you're a home health care worker...paying dues.

I'm not sure about #1, but the rest of them were Constitutional Amendments, which people aren't apparently crazy about. I was sad that the 2/3 majority to raise taxes didn't pass. (That wasn't a union suggestion :) )

[enjerth]

Under a trial by a jury of peers, being informed of local law permitting possession, wouldn't that automatically make it a "reasonable doubt" concerning the guilt of the accused?

[Acala]

They are swimming against the current now. The smart ones will act accordingly. The dumb ones will keep fighting on the wrong side until they get eaten. And I will LOL.

[Acala]

Under a trial by a jury of peers, being informed of local law permitting possession, wouldn't that automatically make it a "reasonable doubt" concerning the guilt of the accused?

The problem is that local law enforcement is typically delegated authority to enforce state and maybe federal law. Just because some activity is not illegal under city code does not mean it is legal. For example, most city codes don't make murder illegal but murder is illegal under state law and the local cops are authorized to arrest people for murder.

What needs to be done is for government at each level to deny its law enforcement agency the authority to enforce the state and federal prohibitions.

[AGRP]

Brian Morrissey, of the Coalition for a Safer Flint, the group that gathered the signatures to get the initiative on the ballot, said he was disappointed with the city's decision.

"If the city police want to follow state law rather than city law, then maybe the state should be paying their salary," said Morrissey.

Seems like a decent temporary solution. Disband the department.

[awake]

Whatever happened to the cop mantra: "I just enforce the laws. If you don't like them then change them."

There are hundreds of thousands of police officers who earn their paycheck from drug laws. They are not giving up their gravy train. More laws= more police which in the mind of a totalitarian douche bag, means more jobs and stronger police unions with more dues.

The growth of the militarized police state is not an accident. It is quite a deliberate conspiracy of like interested individuals: to own some slaves by way of government legislation.

The single biggest lobby and shadow power behind the state is the individuals who earn their income from taxation. They will always come first to the DC trough. The tax payers are whats for supper.

Our purpose as lovers of liberty is to reveal a slavery so vial and camouflaged that we dare not see it. To abolish it is the task before us.

[Anti Federalist]

Whatever happened to the cop mantra: "I just enforce the laws. If you don't like them then change them."

"Whatever happened to that? FUCK YOU, that's what happened to that!" - Officer Friendly.

[aGameOfThrones]

Anarchists!

[Lucille]

A Grand Rapids proposal amends that city's charter to decriminalize the drug. Rather than misdemeanor charges, marijuana violations will be civil infractions punishable by a fine of $25 for a first offense, and rising to a maximum of $100 for subsequent offenses.

Judge Allows Michigan City Pot Decriminalization to Take Effect
http://reason.com/24-7/2013/01/23/judge-allows-michigan-city-pot-decrimina


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A Kent County judge says a Grand Rapids marijuana charter amendment can take effect.

The ruling was published late Wednesday morning. Judge Paul Sullivan said he will allow the City of Grand Rapids to change the way it handles marijuana offenses.

City voters passed the measure in November 2012, making possession and use of marijuana a civil infraction, punishable by a ticket and fine.

The Kent County prosecutor filed a lawsuit in December 2012, saying the charter amendment violated state law and prevented him from prosecuting marijuana cases.

[Tod]

Yeah, because the drug war is way too lucrative a business to just give up on because the public is against it.

This ^

They will probably lose all sorts of funding if they follow this new law.

[Humanae Libertas]

Of course they will enforce them. Without the drug war, most cops will be out of a job.

[tod evans]

Hat's off to Judge Paul Sullivan!

Get a rope for the prosecuting attorney!

[TonySutton]

I am thinking they should hire a new police force.

[fisharmor]

I am thinking they should hire a new police force.
Then you're not thinking clearly.

[paulbot24]

"The ballot proposal approved by Flint voters....is symbolic in nature."

At least they are finally starting to tell the real truth about the voting process.

[tod evans]

When "We the People" cannot drag "our" prosecuting attorney out into the street and strip him of his title and pension then government has ceased to represent the people.

That this guy could even utter such a statement while drawing a check from the public coffers baffles me.