Here’s what this Columbia mayor candidate would change about weed and body cameras
A person carrying less than an ounce of marijuana in Columbia wouldn’t have to worry about being sentenced to prison under a plan proposed by mayoral candidate Sam Johnson.
Tuesday, Johnson released a slew of ideas to reform policing and public safety in South Carolina’s capital city, including changes to prosecuting low-level marijuana offenses and releasing Columbia police body camera footage.
“We can create safer neighborhoods and save a generation of our kids,” Johnson said in a statement. “But it takes vision and action.”
Johnson wants to eliminate prosecution and incarceration for simple possession of marijuana in the city. Simple possession, which is an ounce or less, is punishable with 30 days to a year imprisonment in South Carolina.
Under Johnson’s plan, if a person is caught with an ounce or less of weed in the city, the police officer would write a ticket instead of booking the person in jail. If that person signs up for an intervention or diversion program already offered by the city, they wouldn’t have to pay the ticket or go before a city judge, which means the charge would stay off their criminal record.
“The goal isn’t to penalize,” Johnson said. “You want to provide folks another option. If we can keep people away from the criminal justice system and rehabilitate them, we’re all the better for it.”
The city’s diversion program addresses housing, finances and a host of issues a person could be dealing with, Johnson said. And the programs are free.
Police officers already have the option to write a ticket for simple possession instead of setting a person on a course for prosecution, and the Columbia Police Department has been doing that, according to Deputy Chief Melron Kelly. Johnson’s plan would make giving a ticket and offering the option of entering the diversion program the city’s policy.
“Everyone gets the same treatment,” Johnson said.
A State House bill to change South Carolina’s drug laws may affect simple possession of marijuana. The bill would change the weight for simple possession from an ounce or less to ten ounces or less of marijuana.
Johnson also wants to create a policy to release police body camera footage within 48 hours when it’s requested. Currently, the Columbia Police Department doesn’t have to release body cam footage.
Extenuating circumstances for not releasing footage will likely be written into the policy but those circumstances will be explained to the public. The body cam policy is meant to create more policing transparency.
Johnson was a key aide to Mayor Steve Benjamin from 2010 to 2016.
In 2014, Johnson said he helped Benjamin bring police reforms to Columbia such as expanding training, creating a citizens advisory committee, engaging communities and making a more diverse police department. Those reforms included leading South Carolina by equipping Columbia Police Department officers with body cameras. Former President Barack Obama commended Benjamin on his reforms. The department has also touted itself as a “21st Century” agency. With that, Chief Skip Holbrook joined a national group to help end racist policing.
Johnson’s public safety plan includes 10 proposals, three of which focus on mental health.
One proposal is hiring mental health professionals who “do not wear a badge or carry a gun ... to better de-escalate crisis and everyday situations.” Johnson also plans to partner with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department when police are asked to respond to someone in a mental health crisis. The sheriff’s department recently developed a mental health crisis team with the state’s Department of Mental Health. Columbia officers would also be provided with annual psychological evaluations under Johnson’s plan.
Other proposals include raising officer and firefighter pay and giving them financial assistance to live in the city.
This story was originally published April 8, 2021 at 1:37 PM.