Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia has voiced strong opposition to a proposed charter amendment that would decriminalize the possession of up to 4 ounces of marijuana.
Garcia argued at a recent Dallas City Council meeting on Wednesday that the proposed change would negatively impact the city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods. He also contested that the initiative would fuel drug-related crimes throughout Dallas.
According to the City of Dallas crime analytics dashboard, as of August 8, 6,769 drug-related offenses had already been committed this year, marking an 8.2% spike over the 6,256 crimes logged during the same period in 2023.
In a briefing to council members, Garcia highlighted the potential dangers of decriminalizing possession of 4 ounces or less.
He noted that 4 ounces, a measure equivalent to approximately “113 dime bags,” is typically associated with drug dealing rather than personal use. Garcia did not elaborate further on why that exact amount indicated drug trafficking rather than personal use.
Garcia also cited a troubling correlation between marijuana and violent crime. According to data from Dallas homicide detectives, 17 murders in 2023 allegedly “involved marijuana” in some capacity.
He went on to elaborate on other possible impacts.
“And not only will it lead to increased traffic in drug houses in our most vulnerable neighborhoods, but in my 32 years of law enforcement, in my opinion, it will lead to increased illegal sales and deterioration of quality of life in certain areas of our city,” added Garcia, per Fox 4 KDFW.
Garcia also highlighted a racial disparity in drug-related violent crime, noting that among the 29 “marijuana-related murder” victims this year, 27 were black or Latino.
“The disparity in victimization is unacceptable, which is why drug-related crime reduction is critical to our mission,” he added.
Despite Garcia’s concerns, the Dallas City Council is required by law to place the decriminalization proposal on the November ballot since it stemmed from the successful collection of resident petition signatures.
Council members’ hands are tied, and voters will have the final say on whether the proposed measure should become part of the Dallas City Charter.
Relatedly, the Dallas Police Department’s staffing shortage has been putting a strain on officers’ abilities to fight crime. With only around 3,000 officers currently on the street, Dallas does not have the 4,000 a prior City analysis advised were necessary to adequately police the city.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, recent attempts to decriminalize marijuana possession in Texas have had varied outcomes.
In Lubbock, Proposition A, a proposed ordinance decriminalizing possession of up to four ounces within city limits, was rejected in the May 4 election.
The measure, which had attracted significant debate, was defeated, with 64.6% of voters opposing the proposed ordinance. The initiative was led by the local group Freedom Act Lubbock, which has been working on marijuana rights for Texans since August 2023.
