Pubdate: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 Source: Tampa Bay Times (FL) Copyright: 2014 St. Petersburg Times Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/letters/ Website: http://www.tampabay.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419 Note: Named the St. Petersburg Times from 1884-2011. Page: A8 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n777/a06.html POLICING ON POT NEEDS FRESH LOOK A recent analysis of arrests for marijuana possession in at least two Tampa Bay counties revealed a disturbing trend. Blacks and whites use marijuana at virtually the same rates, but law enforcement is at least six times more likely to arrest a black person for possessing the drug. The disparity raises questions about whether blacks are being unfairly targeted by police and pushed into the criminal justice system in ways that leave permanent scars. Law enforcement officials should re-examine their approach to policing marijuana possession and ensure that enforcement strategies are evenly applied in all communities. A disparity in arrests for marijuana possession is not a new issue. Nationwide, blacks are 3.7 times more likely to be locked up for possession than whites. But the Tampa Bay Times ' Stephen Nohlgren and Kameel Stanley reported that blacks are arrested for marijuana possession in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties at more than twice the national average. In 2013, St. Petersburg police made 15 misdemeanor arrests for pot possession for every 10,000 white residents. About 95 black residents were arrested per 10,000 black residents on the same charge. That's a 6to-1 disparity. Hillsborough County's numbers were higher, with a 7-to-1 arrest disparity. And the numbers are equally disparate in other bay area municipalities, including Largo, where the black-white arrest ratio was about 12-to-1. Law enforcement officials on both sides of the bay say race does not play a role in arrests. But they did acknowledge differences in the way officers patrol some areas. In St. Petersburg, for example, police Chief Tony Holloway said blacks typically engage in open air drug dealing, making arrests easier for police. Whites who participate in the same activity, Holloway said, do so more covertly and avoid suspicion. Across the country there is a roiling debate about whether marijuana should be legalized for recreational or medical use. Several states have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana, in part because of the lopsided effect possession arrests have on black males. In Florida, law enforcement officials should use resources wisely and concentrate on taking down streetlevel drug dealers and their suppliers - not the casual user who walks down the street with a joint tucked behind his ear. Holloway already has committed to examining his department's operating procedures. Other law enforcement officials should follow that example. Arrest records matter. They can scar offenders for a lifetime and affect their ability to obtain employment, housing, mortgages, student loans and public assistance. The Justice Department has called for a re-examination of drug laws, particularly with respect to low-level, nonviolent offenders. The Florida Legislature should revisit the state's sentencing laws with an eye toward addressing heavy-handed punishments for relatively small amounts of marijuana. The time for a re-examination is now. In Florida, law enforcement officials should use resources wisely and concentrate on taking down drug dealers and their suppliers - not the casual user. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom