DETROIT — Detroit voters overwhelmingly supported decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana in November, but so far it doesn't appear anything has changed from the government or legal perspectives.

Not one of the four agencies MLive Detroit spoke to about the law said they have instructed officers to discontinue arrests or citations for marijuana possession in the city, based on the guidelines of the proposal.

The proposal voters passed 65-35 over a month ago says it's now legal for anyone over 21 to possess up to one ounce of marijuana on private property in Detroit.

State police said the proposal has no bearing on their enforcement operations. Get caught with pot and you'll be cited under a misdemeanor violation of state possession laws and subject to $2,000 in fines and up to a year in jail, said State Police Lt. Mike Shaw.

"We don’t enforce local ordinances, so nothing has changed for us," Shaw said. "Mariuana is still illegal for us according to state law. Anyone who doesn't have a medical marijuana card will be arrested for state possession" violation.

Shaw said any agency is allowed to write a violation based on the state law, even with the success of the proposal.

The Detroit Police Department seems to be in limbo on the matter.

"This legislation is being reviewed by the city of Detroit Law Department," said Detroit Police Sgt. Eren Stephens of the Public Information Office.

And what about on the campus of Wayne State University and in surrounding neighborhoods where the Wayne State Police Department patrols?

Wayne State University Police Chief Anthony Holt said his department sometimes gets calls on marijuana detected at dormitories or apartment but he's not aware of any such calls since the law passed.

"We have not come up with an official policy," he said. "It’s a federal law regarding (marijuana possession) so it's probably something we’ll have to get an opinion on. But it's not a real big priority for us now."

And the Wayne County Sheriff's Department seems equally unclear on how they'll handle small amounts of marijuana possessed on private property.

"We have not developed a policy yet on that issue," said Dennis Niemiec of the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. "It’s being looked at by our training and legal departments."

Sheriff Napoleon is one of the only area law enforcement leaders who came out on either side of the issue prior to the election.



"It is unfortunate that we've come to a place where some are attempting to legalize something that is harmful to the community in a very significant way," Napoleon said. "I would never support such a measure as it creates a litany of problems for all involved."

While most law enforcement agencies operating in Detroit seem unsure about how they'll proceed, members of Detroit City Council flat out dismissed the public's will after the proposal passed.

Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh said the vote "was really a waste of our time,

; and Councilwoman Brenda Jones said, "We will not be writing an ordinance that says something that's illegal is legal."

Detroit was among five Michigan cities that voted to reduce marijuana enforcement.

to legalize possession of less than an ounce for personal use; Grand Rapids decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, making the violation now a $25 civil infraction;

that allow for three city-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries; and

to make marijuana possession and use of less than one ounce the "lowest priority of law enforcement."

Nationally, Colorado and Washington passed statewide laws to legalize possession of certain quantities of marijuana.

It's to be seen if the federal government will intervene.