While Buffalo Police Captain Jeff Rinaldo says arrests for marijuana possession has never been a top priority for the department, he stresses it is still illegal and on the books as a crime, with first-time violators receiving an appearance ticket.
- The move is in response to a new possible state law legalizing recreational marijuana
- Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown directed the BPD to stop the enforcement of low level offenses
- Service agencies do not agree with the law enforcement approach
To date, officers have made 14 possession arrests this year, down from 60 last year, 102 the year before and 103 in 2016.
"The vast majority of those arrests have been complaint driven. It's business owners calling 3-1-1 complaining about people being in front of their stores smoking marijuana. It's residents complaining about people smoking. They're possessing marijuana in front of their houses," said Rinaldo.
Leaders with Kids Escaping Drugs in West Seneca say they've kept a close eye on Albany and do not support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
They say it's a gateway drug, and often laced with substances like fentanyl.
"Which is killing people. but we're saying turn a blind eye if they only have a little bit. To me that doesn't make sense," said Jodie Altman, Kids Escaping Drugs Renaissance campus director.
Altman also says there's a disproportionate number of arrests of inner city people using marijuana versus those in the suburbs.
"Is that right? No, we don't believe that's right. We believe it's an issue. That's a law enforcement issue. It's not a ‘legalize marijuana and let's make that go away,’" said Altman.
If and when the legislation passes, officers are set to undergo additional training.
"Inform them exactly what the law says you can and can't do. It's just a matter of what that enforcement will look like," said Rinaldo.
Access to the drug is expected to be regulated much like alcohol and tobacco.