(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The head of a group representing police chiefs in Illinois is raising concerns about a ruling by the Illinois Supreme Court that limits what officers can do when they smell burnt marijuana during traffic stops.
The state's highest court ruled officers cannot legally search a vehicle without a warrant just by claiming they smell burnt cannabis.
The justices say police in Illinois need additional evidence for warrantless searches, such as proof of erratic or impaired driving.
“I can't help but wonder, you know, if our roadways and public highways are a little less safe today, maybe a little more dangerous based on the ruling. It's already difficult and challenging enough to detect impaired driving under the influence of cannabis. And this is gonna make that more challenging,” said Kenny Winslow who is the executive director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.
Winslow says the ruling by the state supreme court will make it harder for police to find drivers who are impaired by marijuana and get them off the roads.
“You know, before there was an odor of burnt cannabis, you could check the car for, you know, contraband. You're not supposed to be able to consume cannabis while driving or operating a vehicle and this is just gonna make it a little more challenging now.”
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