Lowest Law Enforcement Priority Jurisdictions
More than a
dozen cities and counties have directed local law enforcement to de-prioritize
marijuana possession enforcement in their areas, either through voter
initiatives or through action by elected officials. Some municipalities, such
as Seattle and Santa Monica, are faithfully following the ordinances.
Unfortunately, others seem to be ignoring the lowest priority measures. Please
see the following chart for information on LLEP (lowest law enforcement
priority) jurisdictions.
|
Jurisdiction
|
Year Passed
|
Vote
Percentage
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seattle, WA
|
2003
|
Passed with 58% of
the vote.
|
|
Oakland, CA
|
2004
|
Passed with 65% of
the vote.
|
|
Santa
Barbara, CA
|
2006
|
Passed with 66% of
the vote.
|
|
Santa Cruz,
CA
|
2006
|
Passed with 64% of
the vote.
|
|
San
Francisco, CA
|
2006
|
San Francisco Board
of Supervisors passed the ordinance in an 8-3 vote.
|
|
Santa Monica,
CA
|
2006
|
Passed with 65% of
the vote.
|
|
West
Hollywood, CA
|
2006
|
West Hollywood City
Council passed the resolution in a 4-0 vote.
|
|
Eureka
Springs, AR
|
2006
|
Passed with 62% of
the vote.
|
|
Missoula
County, MT*
|
2006
|
Passed with 54% of
the vote.
|
|
Denver, CO
|
2007
|
Passed with 55% of
the vote.
|
|
Fayetteville,
AR
|
2008
|
Passed with 66% of
the vote.
|
|
Hawaii
County, HI
|
2008
|
Passed with 53% of
the vote.
|
|
Hailey, ID
|
2010
|
The initiative
passed with 51% of the vote in 2007, and again in 2008 with 54% of the vote,
but due to a redaction by a district court judge, the measure did not
officially go into effect until 2010.
|
|
Kalamazoo, MI
|
2011
|
Passed with 66% of
the vote.
|
|
Tacoma, WA
|
2011
|
Passed with 65% of
the vote.
|
* In 2011, Missoula County prosecutor Fred Van Valkenburg convinced the state legislature to attempt to thwart the will of voters by passing a bill — H.B. 391 — saying that a local initiative cannot determine local police priorities. Whether the new law applies to Missoula County's ordinance — which is now an ordinance, not an initiative — has not been litigated. However, Van Valkenburg has said he is prosecuting marijuana possession again.
