SANTA FE POLICE SAY IT’S UP TO THE DISCRETION OF EACH OFFICER WHEN IT COMES TO FILING MARIJUANA CHARGES. THE ABQ JOURNAL REPORTS POLICE ARE BASICALLY IGNORING A NEW, MORE LENIENT CITY ORDINANCE…AND ARE CHARGING OFFENDERS UNDER TOUGHER STATE LAW.
POLICE SPOKESWOMAN ANDREA DOBYNS TELLS 770 KKOB THERE MAY BE A REASON FOR THAT. WHEN POSSESSION IS CHARGED IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER CRIMES, IT AUTOMATICALLY GOES TO MAGISTRATE COURT. AND THAT WOULD MEAN STATE CHARGES, WHICH COULD INCLUDE JAIL TIME. THE CITY ORDINANCE MAKES POSSESSION OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF POT A CIVIL VIOLATION…WITH A MAXIMUM 25-DOLLAR FINE.
