Dallas Council Approves Cite And Release Regarding Marijuana Possession
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DALLAS (CBS11) - In Dallas, being caught with some marijuana may not mean a trip to jail anymore.
A new program approved Wednesday afternoon by the Dallas City Council will let people walk away with only a ticket if they're caught with less than four ounces of marijuana.
If they are caught, they'll have to appear in court much like when someone gets a speeding ticket.
Some supporters of marijuana in Dallas say they've been caught with less than four ounces and received harsh punishment.
The City of Dallas says with this program they hope to reduce jail time for nonviolent offenses, to cut down the time officers spend at the jail processing these suspects, and to improve officer response time to other emergencies.
Offenders would be eligible to walk away with a ticket if they have a valid ID and are at least 17 years old, with no other prior convictions. They'd also have to provide a thumbprint.
The Dallas Police Department released the following statement on the matter Wednesday evening:
Today, the Dallas City Council authorized the Dallas Police Department to move forward in collaboration with Dallas County to implement by October 1, 2017, a cite and release program for class A & B possession of marijuana.
