Niles must have had a progressive village board back in 1965. That's when the town's version of marijuana decrim went into effect, according to a story in today's Des Plaines Journal. Niles, a northern suburb which borders the City of Chicago, hasn't looked back, though police say it is used only in limited circumstances:
Head of the department's patrol division, Commander Daniel Halley, who works daily with patrol officers, said that an officer must believe the marijuana is for personal use only -- maybe a "joint" or more, he explained -- before a cop issues the ticket. This policy also applies when someone is caught with drug paraphernalia, which is the means an individual uses to smoke marijuana.
"If it's a kid doing something stupid for the first time, you see his background and good demeanor, then you probably issue a ticket and then the parents have to come to the adjudication hearing," Halley said.
If a cop issues an adult the ticket the same process applies, officials said, although someone over 18 mustn't notify his or her parents.
Even with the almost 40-year-old ordinance, an officer can still circumvent the policy and send a suspect directly to the state's attorney. The suspect is then arrested, finger-printed, issued bond and a court date -- just as Chicago does.
