In November, Dallas County Voters have the opportunity to decriminalize the Possession of under 4 ounces of Marijuana. The possession of 4 ounces of marijuana can result in a Class A Misdemeanor that could result in one year in jail, if not handled correctly. The Dallas Freedom Act is a policy that will decriminalize misdemeanor marijuana possession and has a current petition in which Dallas County residents are able to sign.
What is the Dallas Freedom Act?
The Dallas Freedom Act advocates for scarce city resources to be allocated towards reducing discriminatory enforcement practices and focusing on high priority safety concerns. If the Dallas Freedom Act is passed, Dallas Police Department shall refrain from arresting Class A or Class B misdemeanor marijuana possessions, except in limited cases discussed in depth the policy. Dallas Council members Adam Bazaldua and Jaime Resendez, have both advocated for the decriminalization of misdemeanor marijuana matters. These council members have referred to data highlighting the arrests targeted towards the Black and Hispanic community members.
How does the Dallas Police Department feel about this policy?
DPD Chief, Eddie Garcia, is not a fan of this policy. On August 7th, Chief Garcia warned Dallas City Council about the potential effects that could ripple throughout vulnerable neighborhoods. Chief Garcia stated that 4 ounces of marijuana is an amount that drug dealers possess. Chief Garcia believes that this policy will increase drug trafficking and continue to add to the deterioration of quality of life in neighborhoods.
What's Next?
Dallas City Council has not shown any signs of a favored outcome for this policy. State law requires at least 20,000 signatures of registered county voters to place this proposition on the ballots. The Dallas Freedom Act petition roughly has around 35,000 signatures and voters will now get the choice to determine the outcome this November.