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A University of Iowa committee is currently taking public comment on proposals to reimagine campus safety and policing. Some of the potential models call for a significant move away from the traditional model of policing.
The University of Iowa is now taking public comment on proposals to reimagine campus safety and the role of police officers. What was initially a process limited to the UI community and those with a university-issued HawkID is now accessible to the public writ large, following criticism from activists and open-government advocates. The review stems from this summer’s protests against systemic racism and police brutality.
Dallas police will arrest fewer people found with small amounts of marijuana, chief says
The policy change recognizes that people carrying less than 2 ounces typically don’t plan to sell it.
A bag of marijuana is held up during Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia s first public safety committee meeting as chief, which was held virtually, in Dallas on Monday, Feb. 8, 2021.(City of Dallas / Staff photographer)
Dallas police Chief Eddie Garcia said Tuesday he’s going to direct his officers to make fewer arrests for possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana and instead have them issue citations for the offense.
Unequal misdemeanor enforcement contributes to negative police interactions that could otherwise be avoided, exacerbates racial disparities in the criminal justice system and increases costs to the police department, according to the report.
Every year, the Dallas Police Department makes about 6,000 arrests for low-level offenses. These arrests mostly happen in downtown and southern Dallas. The most common reason is public intoxication. The report found that Black people are overrepresented in arrests for public intoxication, low-level drug charges, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass. Criminal trespass could be a homeless person that is trying to find shelter somewhere that they should not be, Enobakhare Jr. said. So, instead of arresting people and spending the money we spend on arresting people for being homeless, we could take that money and invest in solutions to homelessness.
According to committee documents, the Violent Crime Response team has been focusing on arresting people who are wanted for violent felony offenses, mainly to get them off the street before they commit another crime. A warrant round up was held at the end of January.
Gang offenses are up significantly so far this year compared to this time last year. According to the presentation, Dallas police said that s because gang detectives and enforcement officers have been responding to all drive-by shootings to determine if they are gang related. DPD said this rapid response and follow up has allowed them to identify and arrest more offenders