El Paso City Council to Revisit Implementation of Cite and Release

On Wednesday, March 11, 2020, El Paso City Council Representatives Anello (D2) and Morgan (D4) filed Agenda Item 32.2.  – Discussion and action to request that the City Manager provide an update on the implementation  of the Cite and Release Program as approved by City Council on November 12, 2019.

City Council will hear the item at the meeting on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

In November, we reported that the El Paso City Council voted in favor of a Cite and Release program. Council then tasked City Manager Tommy Gonzalez to research what jurisdictions across Texas have done with the same type of policy.

Since November, several jurisdictions have made changes implementing Cite and Release or similar. Most notably the cities of Austin and San Marcos.

What Other Jurisdictions Have Done

Austin City Council passed a resolution restricting city funds from being used to create a testing program for marijuana and asks Austin police to stop tickets and arrests for low-level possession, therefore, creating de facto decriminalization.

City Council in San Marcos put forward a resolution that ultimately became a city ordinance. The ordinance implementing cite and release passed 4 – 3.

Recently, Collin County Sheriff has asked his sheriff deputies not to arrest on petty misdemeanors to not add to the spread of Coronavirus.

A Real Solution with Benefits

El Paso City Council implementing a Cite and Release ordinance will bring benefits to the city. The benefits will include savings in taxpayer funds and officer time spent off the streets; it will allow police officers to be kept on the streets for safety, and most importantly it will end racial injustice by ending the arrests of minorities at a higher rate than non-minorities. That is just the tip.

It’s easy, it’s simple and it is a must.

Here is How You Can Get Involved

Most importantly, here is how to get involved:

Sign up to speak ON Agenda Item 32.2 with the City Clerk.  

You can do that by emailing the El Paso City Clerk at cityclerk@elpasotexas.gov and letting them know that you want to speak on “Agenda Item 32.2 on Tuesday, March 17th.”  

Or you can call the El Paso City Clerk anytime Friday or Monday at (915) 212-0049 to register for Agenda Item 32.2.

All of those that want to speak on the Agenda Item must register by the deadline at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, March 17th, 2020.

Furthermore, City Council meeting starts at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday. It is a guessing game as to when Agenda Item 32.2 will be heard.

Now let’s pack City Hall, El Paso. 

Sensible reform in El Paso depends on YOU.