Washington, DC: Shocked Cops Forced To Return Suspect’s Personal Property – Marijuana

On February 26th, Washington, DC legalized the possession, growing, and gifting of marijuana (as long as no money, goods or services are exchanged) and within a couple of days, faced an odd reality – if a weed aficionado is arrested holding 2 ounces or less of weed, the cops will have to give it back to him!

According to a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Special Order:

“A person whose marijuana or marijuana-infused edible goods was seized pursuant to Part IV.D [Possession of Two Ounces or Less of Marijuana by Persons Appearing to Be Under 21 Years of Age] may seek the return of their property by visiting the station in the District where the marijuana was seized no sooner than 24 hours after the seizure.”

The order also states that confiscated, legal marijuana must be treated as a prisoner’s property and must be placed in a heat-sealed bag for storage. Any seized, legal marijuana that is not claimed within 30 days will be destroyed as contraband.

It effectively means, if a cop catches you with marijuana and thinks you’re below the legally allowed age to possess it and if you prove them wrong, you get your pot back.

So recently, in the 6th District, when a man was arrested for a crime unrelated to drugs and later freed, police, a bit taken aback by what just a few days earlier would have been unimaginable, had to return his ‘personal property’ — belt, money, wallet, keys and marijuana.

“This property was less than two ounces of marijuana, and was returned to the arrestee with the other property held at the time of his arrest,” said Gwendolyn Crump, the DC police department’s chief spokeswoman.

“He walked in to recover his property from a recent arrest. He walked in and said, ‘I want my property back, and want to make sure I get my weed back’. The police gave him his weed back. He knew the law,” said Ward 7 Council Member, Yvette Alexander.