Tough-on-crime state lawmakers might not like it, but the Wichita Police Department is wise to not file felony charges for most small possession drug cases. As an Eagle news article Sunday noted, the Police Department files misdemeanor charges in most cases in which the amount of drugs found is less than 0.25 grams, even though state law says that possession of any amount of cocaine or meth is a felony. Raising the felony threshold allows the Police Department to better use its resources, and it helps free up the District Court docket and jail space. Besides, the penalty for first-time offenders usually is probation, whether it’s a felony or a misdemeanor.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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