Keloland Television – by Brady Malory
FLANDREAU, SD – Drunk drivers tend to keep police officers and deputies busy on New Year’s Eve, but Moody County Sheriff expects an even higher volume of traffic.
On December 31st, Santee Sioux Tribal Council is set to open a lounge on tribal land for the sale and use of marijuana. The council legalized marijuana on tribal land in June. However, because of state and federal law, law enforcement officers may have their work cut out for them.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley remains firm that smoking marijuana is illegal in South Dakota.
“That includes the Indian reservation. So, non-Indians would not be able to use or posess marijuana anywhere in the state,” Jackley said.
With this in mind, Moody County Sheriff Troy Wellman says he has to follow the law if he catches anyone who has ingested marijuana when they leave tribal land.
“We’re still going to have our probable cause or reasonable suspicion to pull a car over,” Wellman said.
Wellman says, typically, when authorities pull over, test, and arrest a drunk driver, it takes about two hours. A DUI arrest usually only impacts the driver. If the passengers are also drunk, and 21 or older, they are not in trouble. That is not how it would work during a pot pullover.
“That scenario, anybody who gets in the car that’s under marijuana that we’re going to be able to prove or at least have our reason to think they’re under the influence, they’re going to jail and getting the ticket,” Wellman said.
That’s why Wellman is concerned. He says if more people are in trouble during just one marijuana stop, that means his deputies will be even more tied up. He expects that to only get worse as cases grow.
“Funding, manpower, transport. I don’t have my own jail. I either have to go to Lake County, Brookings County, or Minnehaha County to take my prisoners to jail. So, that’s going to be a headache,” Wellman said.
There are only four sheriff’s deputies in Moody County. The last one was hired two years ago to help handle the calls the department is already getting. Wellman has already requested another new deputy for next year, but isn’t sure there’s money in the budget for another extra.
“There’s already times where we don’t have enough people out to handle the calls when they come in. We already can’t be where people want us to be at certain times of the day,” Wellman said.
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“That scenario, anybody who gets in the car that’s under marijuana that we’re going to be able to prove or at least have our reason to think they’re under the influence, they’re going to jail and getting the ticket,” Wellman said.”
CHA-CHING!!!!!
F’N SCUMBAG ICM ENFORCERS!!!!!
Legalize cannabis in south dakota and problem solved.
Troy wellman and marty jackley you are both an idiot and a fool to think you have the right to cage a human because they consume a divine gift of creation from this planet. Hang yourselves, so it doesn’t have to be on a patriots conscience.
-flek