Legal pot activists angry at police

Possession busts rise despite city voters' OK

Lou Kilzer, Rocky Mountain News

Published April 10, 2007 at midnight

Text size

More Local News

Marijuana legalization advocates say they are furious with Denver police for arresting more people for misdemeanor possession after city residents voted to legalize the weed in 2005.

Mason Tvert, who led the charge to get marijuana legalized, said the group will hold a noon news conference today at the steps of City Hall to decry the findings.

Arrests for most minor crimes rose in Denver last year, and rose faster than marijuana arrests, following a change in policing philosophy.

But Tvert said nothing can justify an 11 percent spike in marijuana possession arrests last year.

"If there's one, it's too many," Tvert said. "They (police) have the discretion not to arrest."

Although 54 percent of Denver voters approved legalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana by adults, it is still illegal under state law. Denver police have always said that they would continue to enforce state law.

By December of last year, Denver reported that arrests for all crimes were up 14 percent, more than the increase in marijuana arrests.

And misdemeanor arrests were up even more.

Tvert said that blacks make up 32 percent of those arrested for possession, while comprising 11 percent of the city's population.

Tvert plans to have retired Denver police Lt. Tony Ryan on hand to speak for retired law enforcement officers who favor legalization.

Ryan said that many lawmen have known for years that "marijuana is not the evil, demonic gateway drug that some want you to believe it is."

One person not sharing that idea is City Councilman Charlie Brown.

"It's still state law," Brown said. "We can't be selective about the laws we enforce."

Misdemeanor pot busts

• 2003 2,151

• 2004 1,912

• 2005 2,196

• 2006 2,446Source: Denver Safety Office Of Policy Analysis