UPDATED OCT. 4: This story has been updated to include a comment from a Washington County public defender and his perspective on the prosecution of drug crimes.

If you're caught carrying methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine or other illegal drugs in Oregon, you might be convicted of a felony.

Or you might -- after being offered the chance to go through a treatment program -- ultimately see the criminal charges dismissed.

It depends where you're arrested and whether the district attorney in that particular county chooses to prosecute drug possession to the fullest extent of the law.

In light of that uneven landscape, the Oregon State Sheriffs' Association and the Oregon Association Chiefs of Police announced a more uniform, "more thoughtful approach" this week.

Their idea is making waves across the state because it's one not often heralded by law enforcement.

The two groups released a statement Monday saying they want to lighten what they see as the heavy hand of Oregon law by supporting changes that would make drug possession a misdemeanor. They support the change only in cases when someone possesses "user amounts" of drugs and commits no other crime.

The money that would have been spent in the criminal prosecutions, jail time and prosecutions should go into drug treatment to help users tackle their addictions, the groups said.

The sheriffs and chiefs hope to lessen the impact felony drug possession convictions have on minorities who are disproportionately affected, they said.

The announcement has sparked mixed reactions from district attorneys, some who say that while the goal of eliminating unfair treatment is important, revising drug laws is complicated.

"There are many possible repercussions from a reduction of crimes involving heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine that must be carefully considered, particularly in light of the fact that Oregon is currently experiencing an epidemic in heroin and methamphetamine use," the Clackamas County District Attorney's Office said in a response Tuesday. "As only one example, it is worth considering whether or not such a policy would make Oregon a haven for users of these drugs who would come from other parts of the country."

Some prosecutors said they also worry that classifying drug possession as a misdemeanor could take away their leverage to encourage addicts to complete treatment in exchange for avoiding felony convictions. It also might send the wrong message to teens and young adults, they said, that drug use isn't that big of a deal.

But the groups' announcement has drawn applause from criminal defense lawyers, advocates for minorities, the ACLU of Oregon, the Oregon Justice Resource Center and the Oregon Department of Justice.

"In Oregon, as across the nation, drug sentencing laws, which often impose felony sentences for the possession of even a small amount of drugs, have fallen hardest on our diverse communities," said Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum. "This outdated approach often deprives those struggling with drug addiction of the housing, jobs and other opportunities necessary to overcome their addiction without providing the treatment that they desperately need."

Kayse Jama, executive director of Unite Oregon, also supports downgrading drug possession.

"The War on Drugs has been a failure," said Jama, whose organization works to address racial and economic disparities among Oregonians. "Drug policies have devastated our community and contributed to the mass incarceration of people of color and low-income communities. In addition, drug policies work against people who are struggling with addiction. Existing policies make it almost impossible for people to find safe and secure housing, meaningful employment and recovery-related care."

The law enforcement support for a law change indicates a shift in thinking locally and nationally in how best to address a raging societal problem with drugs, particularly heroin, which has proven especially deadly. Critics believe the 1980s-era national crackdown on drugs focused far too much on criminal consequences rather than addiction as a public health issue.

Among new ideas: Earlier this month, a Seattle-area task force made headlines for its recommendation to open the nation's first "safe injection sites" in King County, places where addicts could use heroin while being supervised.

In 2014, California voters downgraded simple possession of most illegal drugs to misdemeanors in an effort to cut prison costs and give recovering drug addicts second leases on life without felony convictions weighing them down.

Kimberly McCullough, legislative director at ACLU of Oregon, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the sheriffs' and chiefs' announcement "is an incredible step in the right direction."

McCullough noted the "vastly different" way people charged with drug possession in Oregon are handled today.

While Oregon law defines illegal drug possession as a felony, district attorneys already have the discretion to handle the cases as misdemeanors, violations similar to a traffic ticket or even dismiss the cases all together.

Even across the Portland metro area, district attorneys have taken different approaches.

In Washington County, people caught for the first time with only drug residue typically aren't charged with any crime -- unless there are compelling circumstances, such as the defendant is on probation, has a lengthy criminal history or possessed the residue in the presence of children, according to the district attorney's office.

People caught for the first time with small amounts of drugs -- such as less than a gram of meth -- are often charged with misdemeanors instead of felonies, if there aren't compelling circumstances, the prosecutor's office said.

Ted Occhialino, a public defender in Washington County, said that's not what he's seen: He said he and other public defenders routinely see first-time drug offenders caught with just enough drugs for their own use charged with felonies, not misdemeanors.

Occhialino said he can't speak to the number of residue cases that aren't charged because his office doesn't see those cases. But he said repeat drug offenders -- who comprise a large number of residue cases -- are routinely saddled with felony charges in Washington County.

In Multnomah County, prosecutors often charge people caught with residue with violations. Defendants caught with user-quantities might also qualify for a drug court that dismisses their charges if they regularly check in with a judge and complete treatment.

In January, Multnomah County will start a new LEAD program, which will go a step further by avoiding the criminal charging process altogether. People caught with drugs will be arrested, but after reviewing their circumstances and conferring with police, prosecutors might decide not to charge them at all in exchange for their willingness to participate in drug treatment and immerse themselves in social services.

LEAD is modeled after a program in Seattle that has had good results, said Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill. Much of what the Oregon sheriffs and police chiefs advocated in their statement is underway in Multnomah County, Underhill said.

"Should we be looking at moving to a health/harm-reduction model and less at a punishment model?" Underhill said. "The answer is yes."

-- Aimee Green

503-294-5119