Elected Officials Continue Push to Standardize Penalties for Marijuana Possession

  Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito and Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, will be joined by advocates from the Institute for Juvenile Justice Reform and Alternatives, VOCAL NY, and the Drug Policy Alliance, in front of One Police Plaza on Tuesday, September 27 at 1:30 p.m. to celebrate an internal order issued by NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly to all precinct commanding officers to stop arresting New Yorkers for small quantities of marijuana if the marijuana was not in plain view.

 

In 2010, over 54,000 people - mostly black or Latino - were arrested for possessing small amounts of marijuana in New York State. Over 50,000 of those arrests occurred in New York City, making it the most frequent crime citywide. Commissioner Kelly's internal order can be made permanent, and apply to all of New York State, through passage of the bipartisan bill (A.7620-Jeffries/S.5187-Grisanti). This legislation would standardize penalties for marijuana possession offences, protect New Yorkers from illegal searches, save taxpayer dollars, and bring down the disproportionately high number of arrests among black and Latino men for marijuana-related crimes by eliminating the misdemeanor charge. Council Members Mark-Viverito introduced a City Council resolution that Council Member Williams is sponsoring that supports the passage of this legislation.

One Police Plaza can be reached by the following, 4,5,6 train to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall; J,Z  train to Chambers street.