cannabisnews.com: Police Agencies Divided on Handling Pot Law Police Agencies Divided on Handling Pot Law Posted by CN Staff on November 23, 2004 at 13:31:12 PT By Dave Moore of the Tribune’s Staff Source: Columbia Daily Tribune Three out of four law-enforcement agencies operating in Columbia are not following a new Columbia ordinance that directs all misdemeanor marijuana cases to Columbia Municipal Court.Because of that, one of the proponents of Propositions 1 and 2 is looking into whether the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Boone County Sheriff’s Department and the University of Missouri-Columbia Police Department should be obligated to follow the law in city limits. "We’re still researching the question of whether the law compels the patrol" and other police agencies "to follow the ordinance," said Dan Viets of Columbia Alliance for Patients and Education, or CAPE. He is also is a member of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. "My gut feeling is that they are subject to the city ordinance."Viets said CAPE would likely discuss the matter informally with law-enforcement officers."Municipal laws vary from town to town, but we enforce the state laws," said patrol Lt. Vernon Dougan of Troop F, which includes Boone County. "We’re state officers. That’s what we’re here to do - to enforce the laws of the state."Dougan said state highway patrol officers by law aren’t allowed to hold commissions for other law enforcement agencies. "Anything that we do has to go to state court," he said. Sheriff Ted Boehm said, "The state only gives us authority to enforce state law. The only way we could receive the powers of enforcing the municipal ordinance was if Boone County deputies received a commission from the city to do so."He said that doesn’t seem to be on the horizon.MU Police Chief Jack Watring, meanwhile, hasn’t changed his department’s policy of referring first-time cases to municipal court but continues to direct subsequent cases to Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Crane’s office.Watring said he’s doing so at Crane’s request.Crane said his office doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all policy on enforcing the law, so it’s possible that he could refer second-time offenses back to Columbia Municipal Court if appropriate.In addition, Crane said, second-time marijuana offense cases often receive suspended imposition of sentences in state court, which means that as long as the person completes two years’ supervision without breaking the law, he or she would not end up with a conviction.Viets contended that Crane’s office has seldom, if ever, reached a plea agreement that included a suspended imposition of sentence.One of the arguments CAPE cited in pressing for passage of Proposition 2 was that students could lose their scholarships or financial aid if they get a court conviction for marijuana."If you’ve got someone with federal student aid and they’re arrested one time, that’s one thing," Crane said. "If they get arrested kicking it twice or three or four or five times, do we want them to keep getting financial aid? I would say no."Since the ordinance’s approval Nov. 2, 48 people have had marijuana cases deferred in Columbia Municipal Court, city prosecutor Rose Wibbenmeyer said. If those people don’t break a law within a year, they can avoid any penalty.Source: Columbia Daily Tribune (MO)Author: Dave Moore of the Tribune’s Staff Published: Tuesday, November 23, 2004Copyright: 2004 Columbia Daily TribuneContact: editor tribmail.comWebsite: http://www.columbiatribune.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/Advisory Panel Split on Ordinances http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19807.shtmlMU Differs on Pot Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19806.shtmlChief Says Pot Law Tough To Interprethttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19798.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by The GCW on November 23, 2004 at 19:53:37 PT Thanksgiving? "Thanksgiving" is the subtitle of Philippians 1:1-11.Verse 10, indicates: "...approve the things that are excellent..."http://www.biblegateway.org/bible?passage=PHIL+1&language=english&version=NASBCannabis is "God's Provisions" which is the subtitle of Philippians 4:10-23; which indicates how cannabis delivered by Epaphroditus, helped Paul and Timothy while in prison with their relationship with Christ God Our Father in Ph. 4:18. Paul and Tim's prayer time and relationship with God was enhanced by cannabis.http://www.biblegateway.org/bible?passage=PHIL+4&language=english&version=NASBThank Christ God Our Father for cannabis. Through the spirit of truth, help others know the truth also.Also, Philippians 3:2, "...beware of the evil workers..."How do You know who is who? Test their spirits through the spirit of truth; the filter.Evil says the table of the Lord is defiled.Truth says the table of the Lord is a blessing.Ph. 2:4, "do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."Truth is a blessing that I AM thankful for. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by CannabisMark on November 23, 2004 at 19:12:10 PT: Be Thankful In addition to what FoM said, we all need to be extra thankful. I don't know your life situations, but i can say that things can always be worse. Be Thankful. No matter how much life may seem to suck, compare it to those less fortunate and Be Thankful. Especially, Be Thankful that God put the Herb on this Earth to ease the suffering we ALL have.Now, to get on the topic.that students could lose their scholarships or financial aid if they get a court conviction for marijuana."If you’ve got someone with federal student aid and they’re arrested one time, that’s one thing," Crane said. "If they get arrested kicking it twice or three or four or five times, do we want them to keep getting financial aid? I would say no."Some of the greatest men to walk this planet have smoked weed. I recently found out that George Washington may have smoked with Tom Jefferson. Could u imagine?!To deny a mans right to educate himself is wrong. But to deny him of his right to learn because he smokes marijuana, well that should be a sin.Would you deny a straight A Harvard student his financial aid because he likes to toke up once in a while? Weed is not what ruins peoples lives, for weed is harmless, it is the clueless higher authority that ruin our lives [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on November 23, 2004 at 17:22:05 PT Thanksgiving I hope everyone has a very nice Thanksgiving. This year it is hard for many people to feel thankful because of all that is happening in our country and the world but I do want to say a few things I'm thankful for. I am thankful for everyone here on Cnews and want you to know that you are remembered always. I am thankful that we have food and a warm house and a good life and a dog or two. I hope we can win but winning is the end not the journey. Until then let the journey continue. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by global_warming on November 23, 2004 at 16:14:08 PT Renegades "Three out of four law-enforcement agencies operating in Columbia are not following a new Columbia ordinance that directs all misdemeanor marijuana cases to Columbia Municipal Court."What do we have here..renegade peace officers, law enforcement personnel that are riding some kind of vigilante posse??It is a sad day when the people in our communities come together and decide what is important and what is not, and through this decision making process, they decide to "change" the laws, they decide that too much importance has been placed on the enforcement of low level marijuana use, and yet, these renegade keepers of the law, have decided that they will disobey the law, yup, that law that is so often quoted, they have decided that they know what is good for the people that work so hard to pay the taxes that keep them in their jobs.One of the things that makes America so great is that we can come together and decide how we will live our lives and how we will face our destinies. To restrict that flexibility is to stifle the core of what is America.I hope that the Supreme Court takes that into account, for times are a changin and the new generations that will come forward to lead this great nation, will carry the responsibility onward and upwards.Pray for Peace gw [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by The GCW on November 23, 2004 at 16:13:56 PT Now, stop messing with people for just using or having cannabis.It is a vile thing to do to Your family members; to steal money from them for using what is good.The people that have crapped on cannabis users should get the truth put in them. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by mayan on November 23, 2004 at 15:34:49 PT Already Paying Off! Since the ordinance’s approval Nov. 2, 48 people have had marijuana cases deferred in Columbia Municipal Court, city prosecutor Rose Wibbenmeyer said. If those people don’t break a law within a year, they can avoid any penalty.The voter's decision is already paying off! Has the sky fallen in Columbia yet? The way out is the way in...9/11 Truth enters No.1 at MoveOn's "Action Forum"! http://inn.globalfreepress.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1057 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment