Is there now a legally allowed quantity of marijuana? Two grams or less to be exact? Well after an internal memo from Eastern Division Commander Maureen Leslie was leaked yesterday, the word on the street has been that the Police Department has legalized it. And both of today's major weeklies headlined stories about the legalization of marijuana. But in an interview you will see only on Channel 7, the officer behind the controversial memo says they've got the story all wrong.
Assistant Commissioner Maureen Leslie says the memo was simply a reminder to commanders about the policy which has been in effect for the past 6 months. Leslie confirms that yes she has instructed her officers to use their discretion in arresting first time offenders found in possession of small amounts of weed weighing in at less than 2 grams. But she remained adamant that marijuana is illegal, and you will still be arrested if you are found in possession of it.
Maureen Leslie, Assistant Commissioner of Police
"We arrest for drugs. No directive has ever been issued verbal or otherwise from my office saying we should not arrest for drugs. If you go the courthouse anytime and check the records they will tell you every single day police officers take to court persons who have been charged for drugs. But what I am seeing since I have been here is that a lot of young people have been arrested and charged for a tiny amount of marijuana; not crack and not cocaine but marijuana I am talking about. And I mentioned to my commanders that instead of charging these young people and taking them to court and putting them in the system to look at the cases individually. We need to see if they are students that we can put in the first offenders program. If there are young people at risk that were caught with just with a spliff or what you call a roach then we arrest them. They are still arrested and taken into the station. It is still the responsibility of the officer to talk to that person, advise them, reprimand that person, caution, and warn. Whatever word you want to use to let him understand he is on the wrong path."
Keith Swift,
Does this boil down to their being a legal quantity of marijuana? If they find a roach on you then is that okay?
Maureen Leslie,
"It is discretionary power by the officer. If he is saying that you have been there before or if he believes in whatever form that you should be charged then you will be charged. Not everybody who is arrested for a small quantity will be released. We are not saying that at all. We are not saying that."
Keith Swift,
Commander people would also say it is not the police's prerogative to say what they will not arrest you for. The last time I checked on the law books marijuana was illegal and possession of it was illegal
Maureen Leslie, Assistant Commissioner of Police
"That's why I am saying it was for internal affairs only. This was not for the public out there."
"At no time am I condoning the use and sale and business of drugs. I am totally against that. I am saying that instead of bringing a 15 and 16 year old youth, already at risk, and pushing him through the system for no apparent reason other than he had a piece of marijuana with him - we can look at the matter and see how we can assist that person. We have to look at how we can assist him more instead of pushing him through the system. But the arrests have been made. They will continue to be made. I don't want anyone in the public to believe that we are condoning the use and the whole business of drugs. The law does not allow us to do so."
Leslie says that on average her officers haul in about 10 offenders a day for possession of small amounts of marijuana. The internal memo was only circulated to her commanders in Belize City. And 7NEWS was shown a copy which verified that it was a reminder on a list of 11 other notes. The marijuana note was number 10 on a list of 11 items.
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