Police won’t stop busts

A city drug panel has voted to urge police to refrain from arresting adults for marijuana possession during next week's Democratic National Convention, but the cops aren't necessarily on board.

Lt. Ernie Martinez, the police department's representative on the panel, said police, bracing for potentially tens of thousands of protesters during the Aug. 25-28 convention, would have more pressing duties than rounding up pot smokers.

A panel set up to review Denver's marijuana policies has recommended that police refrain from arresting adults who fire up during the Democratic National Convention.

Police will have to deal with numerous security issues next week when thousands of people — from protesters to delegates — descend on Denver, said Mason Tvert, leader of a group that sponsored a law mandating that marijuana be a low-enforcement priority.

"It is absolutely absurd for the police to be spending any of their time worrying about adults using a drug that is less harmful than alcohol," he said today.

A panel convened to implement a voter-approved Denver ordinance making possession of small amounts of marijuana the "lowest law enforcement priority" voted Wednesday to approve a resolution urging police to refrain from making arrests or issuing citations during the Democratic National Convention.

Mason Tvert, leader of the group Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation, said city police and prosecutors are ignoring the will of the voters. He said the city still requires violators to show up in court, which he warned could clog the court system.

Pro-marijuana group wants moratorium on busts at DNC 

Pot smokers may be free to light up in the streets of Denver next week if a voter-required panel endorses a moratorium on marijuana citations during the Democratic National Convention.