A new ordinance proposes that offenders caught in possession with small amounts of marijuana receive a fine instead of jail time.
The law currently lists marijuana possession as a class B misdemeanor, which carries penalties of up to six month jail sentence and $15,000 fine. The new ordinance would allow Chicago police officers to issue $200 tickets to individuals caught with under ten grams of marijuana.
Alderman Danny Solis who represents the 25th ward, introduced the ordinance in City Hall Nov. 2 and said it could generate $7 million a year in revenue. It also would save time and money for police and courthouse workers.
Last year, Solis said police spent at least 84,000 hours transporting offenders, doing paperwork, inventorying evidence and performing other duties in order to keep the streets safe–and that excludes the hours spent when officers must appear in court.
Cook County spends roughly $78 million a year processing marijuana arrests, according to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Preckwinkle joined the chorus in support of the ordinance with several others including Aldermen Walter Burnett (27th), Ariel Reboyras (30th), Richard Mell (33rd), and Cook County Commissioner John Fritchey.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has not yet endorsed the ordinance and said he wants to have a comprehensive look at it before he makes a decision. He also stated that a member of the Chicago Police Department’s gang unit made a similar suggestion, and he mentioned the idea to Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy.
This ordinance would come at a time when marijuana use is on the rise throughout many parts of the United States. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the U.S. with more than 17 million regular users in 2010, according to The National Survey on Drug Use and Health. A recent Gallup poll was also released showing that a record 50 percent of Americans favor legalization of marijuana.
DePaul Public Safety said in a statement that until the City Council approves the proposal, they cannot officially comment on how the university’s marijuana policy might change.
The current policy at DePaul University prohibits the use, possession, distribution, and sale of marijuana. If violators are found with pot in the dorms or on them, they are taken into custody and charged by Chicago police.
President of the Residence Hall Council Eric Ruelle said this debate comes as marijuana arrests have increased at DePaul.
“Over the past few years, the amount of alcohol violations as opposed to marijuana possession has completely flip-flipped. Marijuana use is definitely a trend that we see,” he said.
There were 59 drug abuse referrals for disciplinary action and 34 drug abuse violation arrests that occurred in Lincoln Park campus residential facilities, according to Public Safety’s 2011 Safety and Security Information Report.
While the report doesn’t specify how many of those arrests or referrals for disciplinary action were marijuana related, the overall trend caused the Residence Hall Council to begin working on an alternate initiative to limit possession in the dorms. They plan to charge fines, like other private institutions already do. Loyola University charges $125 per violation, while Notre Dame charges anywhere from $150-$500.
As a DePaul student, Ruelle believes the ordinance is a good idea.
“Personally I think that the Chicago Police already have enough to do. When you give a ticket, that’s kind of a receipt, that’s bar none,” he said. “When you arrest somebody, there’s a lot more logistics to it. As a former RA and someone who’s seen it come up a few times, it would be better to nip it in the bud right from the very beginning.”
Ruelle is not the only student who thinks this is a better alternative. Senior Clark Albright can’t believe these developing policies have taken so long.
“Honestly, I thought weed possession was already decriminalized here. It makes sense. I’ve heard of so many people that have had cases completely dismissed by CPD. It lets the cops be on the streets and find actual criminals,” Albright said.
Chicago aldermen and commissioner Fritchey want the public to know that this proposal is not an endorsement for people to start smoking up. They only hope to begin a dialogue about how the problem can be handled more productively in the future.
This proposed policy would only change how police deal with marijuana possession in small amounts. If they determine there is intent to sell or distribute, the appropriate charges and investigations would still take place—even on DePaul’s campus.