Seattle: 90% of Tickets for Public Cannabis Consumption Given to Men
A new study released by the Seattle Police Department (SPD) has found that tickets distributed for the
public consumption of cannabis have overwhelmingly gone to men, and disproportionately to minorities.
The study found that men received roughly 90% of the 85 tickets distributed between July 1st, 2014, through the end of the year. The study also found that 90% of the tickets were distributed by SPD’s West Precinct.
Although blacks only make up 8% of Seattle’s population, the study found that they received 27% of the tickets given out for public cannabis consumption. It was also found that more than half of the tickets – 45 of 85 – were issued in city parks.
The last SPD report on cannabis consumption tickets was released nearly a year ago in late July, 2014. In that report, it was found that over 80% of all tickets were distributed by one officer, and disproportionately to minorities and the homeless, leading to the tickets being thrown out.
The new report shows that only 9% of the 85 tickets issued for public cannabis consumption have been paid, with 70% in default.
– TheJointBlog
David
When you have one rouge cop writing a majority of cannabis related tickets, in a city the size of Seattle’s something is terribly wrong. We certainly don’t need cop’s going off on personal vendetta’s. I would hope this has been stopped but with Seattle’s Mayor and city Council preparing to close medical dispensaries and fire up the Drug-war machine who knows ?