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| Groups Move To Change Police Practices |
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Posted by FoM on June 21, 2001 at 09:47:06 PT By Casey Wagner Source: Daily Iowan 
Proposed ballot measures may prevent nonviolent offenders and recreational pot smokers from being jailed. For three local political organizations, the push for what they call common sense in the city government begins today.In a press conference scheduled for 4 p.m. on the Pedestrian Mall, Citizens for Accountable Local Government, Alternatives for a New Jail, and Students for Local Politics will formally announce petitions to place three proposed amendments on the ballot for the Nov. 6 municipal elections. The goal of the amendments to the Home Rule Charter is to drastically change the way the city is policed. "Iowa City has almost become a police state," said UI junior Matt Blizek, the founder and president of Students for Local Politics. "This is the first step in changing things." One of the proposed amendments calls for a change in how the city appoints the police chief. Currently, the city manager appoints the chief. Under the proposed amendment, the chief would be appointed by the City Council, and both the police chief and city manager would need a 50 percent approval rating from voters during municipal elections to retain their seats. A second amendment would establish a permanent Police Citizens Review Board. Under a "sunset clause" currently in effect, the council must vote every three years on whether to continue the board's existence. The third amendment comes in two parts. The first would permit police officers to issue citations in lieu of arrest for certain nonviolent offenses, including possession of marijuana. The second would prohibit police from practicing the investigation, apprehension, or arrest of individuals for misdemeanor or nonviolent offenses, sending undercover agents into bars or restaurants, or acting on anonymous tips. The amendment also states that arresting individuals in possession of personal-use amounts of marijuana should not be a priority of police. All three organizations have already begun to distribute the petitions, which can only be signed by Iowa City residents at least 18 years old. For the amendments to make it on the Nov. 6 ballot, 784 signatures are needed. The petitions must be submitted to the city clerk by Aug. 30. Jail-committee representative Carol deProsse said the proposed changes to the police policy on marijuana is to protect Iowa City's law-abiding citizens and UI students, whom, she hopes, will come out to support the amendments in large numbers. "People who were committing the same crimes 25 years ago weren't getting arrested," she said. "Ninety-five percent of the people who get arrested didn't do any harm to anybody, so they should be left alone." City Manager Steve Atkins said he does not understand the meaning of the amendments and is not sure that changing the police policy on marijuana is legally possible. Atkins said that because the amendment would place his position in a retention election, it could possibly thin out candidates for the job, adding that a vote is not needed because the council can already vote him out of office. "If people's jobs are on the line every four years, then they're going to want some additional monetary compensation," he said.The amendment would make the police chief and city manager accountable for any problem that arises from what they do, Blizek said. Keeping the police from arresting those with misdemeanor or nonviolent charges would free up space in the overcrowded county jail, he said. "Most of the people in jail committed nonviolent crimes," Blizek said. "To keep them out would be a lot better than building a massive new complex." E-mail DI reporter Casey Wagner at: ferris1982@altavista.com Source: Daily Iowan, The (IA Edu) Moving Toward a More Sensible Drug Policy CannabisNews Articles - Decriminalization Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #2 posted by sm247 on June 21, 2001 at 17:32:54 PT |
| Way to go Iowa! [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #1 posted by Dan B on June 21, 2001 at 14:17:50 PT:
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| City Manager Steve Atkins said he does not understand the meaning of the amendments and is not sure that changing the police policy on marijuana is legally possible. What an idiot. This guy was elected as the city manager, and he doesn't understand that the police work for the people, so the peopole have a right to say what the police can and cannot do to them? Not sure that changing police policy is legally possible? I suggest, then, that a collective of citizens sue Iowa City on the basis that they illegally changed the marijuana laws X number of years ago to their current draconian status. After all, it may not have been "legally possible" to affect police policy in that way. Can the rhetoric get any more sophomoric? Dan B [ Post Comment ] |
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