Categories: Local

Small amounts of marijuana is not worth an arrest, Jim Kenney says

City Councilman Jim Kenney.
Credit: Rikard Larma / Metro

If it’s less than an ounce, City Councilman Jim Kenney thinks you shouldn’t be arrested.

“You should go through some penalty,” said Councilman at-large Kenney. “Some fine, some penalty, some education. It’s nice to have you stop your behavior, but being arrested to me is still a little bit over the top.”

Kenney announced Tuesday that he will introduce legislation at Thursday’s City Council meeting, the first of the new year, which would end the requirement to arrest offenders for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Under Kenney’s legislation, the offender would still be sent to the District Attorney’s “Small Amount of Marijuana” program, which includes a 3-hour drug abuse class and a $300 fine, but they just wouldn’t be arrested. They would be issued a summons and sent on their merry way.

“The District Attorney decided and rightfully so not to prosecute cases of small amounts of marijuana,” he said. “He takes them to a diversionary program he takes them to class and they pay a fine. At the end of that period they can have their record expunged, which is sensible.”

“The question then begs,” he added, “Why are we arresting them in the first place?”

He said the police recorded 4,200 arrests for marijuana possession in 2012, and of those 563 were juveniles.

He said the “small amount” arrests costs the city about $3 million a year, and wastes about 17,000 police hours.

Not to mention that 82 percent of the 4,200 offenders arrested were African American.

“It doesn’t mean other people aren’t selling reefer, too,” he said. “But they’re the ones getting caught.”

Kenney said the reasons not to arrest outweigh the reasons to arrest and pointed to Montgomery County which does not arrest for possession of small amounts of pot.

“If Montgomery County can do it,” he said, “Then why can’t we?”

Would he ever petition the governor to decriminalize marijuana?

“That’s not going to happen,” he said. “Look. I respect the governor, he’s a Republican, he’s a former prosecutor, it’s probably not in his mindset to do something like that.”

____________________

Follow Tommy Rowan on Twitter: @tommyrowan

Follow Metro Philadelphia on Twitter: @metrophilly

Follow Metro Philadelphia on Facebook: Metro Philadelphia

Metro Philadelphia

Recent Posts

Eagles draft small-school sleeper Jalyx Hunt after multiple day 2 trades

It was an event filled second night of the NFL Draft for the Philadelphia Eagles.…

8 hours ago

Bryce Harper Homers In First Game Back After Daughter’s Birth

CINCINNATI - Bryce Harper continues to add to his impressive highlight reel in his time…

16 hours ago

Eagles draft targets: 25 day 2 prospects to keep an eye on

The Philadelphia Eagles came out of the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft with…

16 hours ago

Phillies vs Padres: Betting preview, predictions & TV Schedule for April 26th

Phillies vs Padres: A 5-0 win over the Reds last time out helped the Phillies…

18 hours ago

Exclusive Interview: Eagles WR Parris Campbell steals the show at LEGOLAND New York

When the Philadelphia Eagles signed Parris Campbell to a one-year deal in March, it was…

19 hours ago

Debates to play a major role in Pennsylvania’s 2024 US Senate election

By MARC LEVY Associated Press Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania on Thursday proposed…

20 hours ago

This website uses cookies.