Law enforcement adjusting to Prop. 47

By Kathryn Reed

The passage of Proposition 47 has California law enforcement agencies having to deal in a new way with those who allegedly commit crimes.

The proposition says many crimes that were considered a felony are now a misdemeanor. It also means instead of being arrested, people will be cited. The citations are similar to getting a traffic ticket.

Some of the felonies that are now misdemeanors include:

• Commercial burglary (theft under $950)

• Forgery and bad checks (under $950 value)

• Theft of most firearms

• Theft of a vehicle (under $950 value)

• Possession of stolen property (under $950 value)

• Possession of heroin, cocaine, illegal prescriptions, concentrated cannabis, and methamphetamine.

“Clearly, more bad guys who are now locked up will be getting out. It’s estimated 10,000 statewide,” South Lake Tahoe Police Chief Brian Uhler told Lake Tahoe News. “I’m not sure how all this will match with the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act. I guess smarter people than me have thought this through. I hope they’re right. The voters have spoken so we will, of course, follow the new law.”

Officers have been given an advisory on adjustments to the law.

“The law will allow inmates sentenced under old laws to file a motion with the courts to get their current sentence modified. I imagine there will be a flood of these motions forthcoming,” El Dorado County sheriff’s Lt. Pete Van Arnum told Lake Tahoe News.