Court Order On Pot Smell And Driving Called Dangerous By Police Chief
BOSTON (CBS) -- A ruling by the state's highest court on Tuesday declared that the smell of marijuana is not enough for police to pull over a driver.
The order concerned a case in New Bedford, where a police officer pulled over a car in 2012 because he smelled pot, but didn't witness any traffic violations.
At least one police chief is complaining that the decision "handcuffs" officers in the war against drugs.
"This poses a dangerous situation," Walpole Police Chief John Carmichael says.
Carmichael said he's worried officers won't be able to stop impaired drivers before someone gets hurt. Two justices on the state Supreme Court dissented, saying the decision raises concerns about auto safety.
"We're handcuffing the police," Carmichael said. "It's going to give us one less way of stopping and investigating whether or not somebody could be impaired."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Mike Mackline reports: