How Illegal Police Searches Divide our Communities

In Georgia, police officers routinely ask people if they can search a person's car for drugs. Most of the time, there is absolutely no reason for the request (in spite of our completely dishonest judiciary that allows these unlawful searches).  

According to NBC News, Illegal police searches dropped by as much as 50% in state's that have legalized marijuana.  The police lost their excuse to unlawfully search vehicles.   The result was a more proportional enforcement of the law, versus what we have in Georgia, which is a focus on finding drugs. 

Increased Public Safety is Why These Searches Must End: 

When people do not trust the police, they do not call the police.  Years ago, I represented someone on a drug case.  The client was the victim of a home invasion.  Naturally, he called the police.  

Instead of caring about the victim of the home invasion, the responding police officer saw evidence of a marijuana joint in plain view.  The result was that my client was arrested for possessing a misdemeanor amount of marijuana.  The police spent exactly zero resources investigating the burglary, which was a felony.  

I ask the reader why in the world would anyone trust the police when they focus on arresting someone with a small amount of marijuana versus investigating a felony burglary?

In minority communities, people do not trust the police because they harass people with petty arrest.  

Even Police Officers Think Our Drug Laws Are Stupid:

I have spoken to dozens of police officers that would prefer to investigate real crimes rather than make harassing, petty arrests.  Many in law enforcement agree that the enforcement of Georgia's marijuana laws amounts to a complete waste of police resources.

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I have represented several dozen people on possession of marijuana cases.  I would gladly give up the business in exchange for a repeal of these ridiculous laws. 

We waste countless hours in court adjudicating cases involving possession of marijuana.  Years from now, we will look back and wonder why we punished people for something that will eventually be perfectly legal. 

Let us hope Georgia comes to its collective senses sooner than later.  When we do, we will post it here on the Georgia DUI Information website!