By Angela Hatton
Lexington, KY – Starting tomorrow, what were once grounds for an arrest in Kentucky may be downgraded to citations. A new law goes into effect which gives police officers more discretion when confronted with disorderly conduct. Lexington police Commander Lawrence Weathers.
"If you have somebody being disorderly out in public usually it was the officer's discretion of whether or not to cite or arrest that person. Now their first option is to cite, unless they can prove that the subject is going to be a continued danger."
Another violation that no longer carries a mandatory jail sentence is the possession of small amounts of marijuana or prescription pills. Sponsors of the law say it will cut costs by keeping people out of prison.