Denver on 4/20 weekend: 130 arrests or citations, 22 jailed

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Photo by Brandon Marshall
A photo from our 2014 People of the Cannabis Cup slide show.

Last week, Denver Police Department spokesman Sonny Jackson told us that officers would have a greater presence at the annual 4/20 event at Civic Center Park due both to the still-unsolved shooting that took place at last year’s rally and laws against public consumption of marijuana. However, he pledged that officers would act with “discretion” during enforcement actions.
How’d they do? Well, social media hasn’t exploded with anger at the cops despite what appears to be a larger number of arrests and citations than in recent years: 130 over the course of the weekend.


Photo by Brandon Marshall
A photo from the 4/20 rally in 2013 shortly after the still-unsolved shooting.

Those observers who thought the 2013 shooting would keep people away from the Civic Center festivities this year were wrong. The crowds were healthy on Saturday, and our William Breathes describes the Sunday throng as the biggest he’s seen at the annual gathering; keep an eye out for his full report.
Despite warnings against public consumption, marijuana smoking was commonplace at the park, giving the DPD plenty of chances to issue citations. The cops certainly kept a close eye on what was happening, as is seen in this twitpic:


Meanwhile, the department’s social media folks regularly shared arrest figures. This tweet covers the figures for Saturday….


…while this one encompasses those on Sunday….


…and a third tweet provides a weekend total:


The figures appear to be considerably larger than they were in 2012, as momentum for legalization was building, and 2013, after Amendment 64 had been approved by voters — although the crowds were bigger, too.
For more local coverage, head over to the Denver Westword.

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