TAKE
TAKE A
TAKE A WALK. STUCK THE STORY THAT WILL MAKE
YOU STOP AND SAY HOLD UP, WHAT?
IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE ANYONE
WOULD JUST GET A TICKET FOR HAD
BEING COCAINE.
BEING COCAINE. >> IN ATLANTA SUBURB IS RUNNING
IT SOLD DRUG COURT.
THE FULTON COUNTY DAS NOT
HAPPY.
HAPPY.
HAPPY. SANDY SCREENS IS HANDING OUT
TICKETS FOR MARILYN IN HALF --
HEROIN AND METH.
THE MAJORITY OF DISORDERLY
CONDUCT CITATIONS IN SANDY
SPRINGS ARE FOR
>> COCAINE AND HEROIN.
FOUND IT.
FOUND IT.
FOUND IT. IT WAS IN THE
THERE WE
THERE WE
THERE WE >> IS THE WHITE POWDER IN HERE
METHAMPHETAMINE?
METHAMPHETAMINE? >> CRACK COCAINE.
>> HARD DRUGS.
>> Reporter: SOFT CHARGES.
>> IT JUST GOES THROUGH THE
CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A
WARNING.
WARNING.
WARNING. >> Reporter: WHY DOES SANDY
SPRINGS CHARGE SUSPECTS WITH
DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND THEY
COULD BE CHARGED WITH STATE
DRUG CHARGES?
DRUG CHARGES? >> THE END OF GOING DOWN TOWN,
AND NOTHING EVER HAPPENS.
THEY OFTENTIMES BEAT OUR POLICE
OFFICERS BACK OUT ON THE STREET
FASTER THAN OUR POLICE OFFICERS
CAN GET THROUGH WITH THE
PAPERWORK.
PAPERWORK. >> I BELIEVE THE SYSTEM IS TOO
SLOW.
SLOW.
SLOW. I
SLOW. I BELIEVE OUR CURRENT FULTON
COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
IS IN GREAT NEED OF OVERHAUL.
>> Reporter: OFFICERS
TRANSFERRING INTO SANDY SPRINGS
LEARN QUICKLY.
LEARN QUICKLY. >> HIT THEM WITH SCHEDULE
>> THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME
THEY'VE HAD THE CITY.
>> REALLY?
>> REALLY? >> REALLY?
>> REALLY? >> IN DC, THEY WOULD BE GONE
FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS.
>> Reporter: WE ARE INDICTING
OR IN THE PROCESS INDICTING 98%
OF THOSE CASES.
>> IT STAYS OFF YOUR RECORD.
>> Reporter: NONE OF THE CASES
WE ARE SHOWING YOU WILL SHOW UP
ON THE DEFENDANT'S TERMINAL
RECORD.
RECORD.
RECORD. THESE CHARGES ARE LESS THAN A
SPEEDING TICKET ON GEORGIA LAW.
EVEN THESE -- I KNEW HE WAS
REACHING FOR SOMETHING.
>> HAVING A GUN IN THE
COMMISSION OF A CRIME IS A
FELONY.
FELONY.
FELONY. >> Reporter: ADVERTISING TO
THESE DRUG DEALERS, COME TO
SANDY SPRINGS AND YOU WILL GET
A FELONY RECORD.
JUST THE OPPOSITE.
IF IT'S JUSTIFIED, YOU ARE
GOING TO JAIL.
HE WAS A DEALER OUT ON BOND FOR
MULTIPLE THEIR LONELY AND FIVE
IS IN FULTON COUNTY.
YOU LATER PRETTY GUILTY FROM
TRAFFICKING DRUGS ON THE DARK
WEB AND WAS SENTENCED TO 10
YEARS IN PRISON, HIS SANDY
SPRINGS DRUG ARREST
MONTH PROBATION AND A FINE.
DOES SANDY SPRINGS TURN A
PROFIT ON THEM AND IS SIMPLE
COURT?
COURT?
COURT? >>
COURT? >> YES, THEY DO.
ABOUT $1 MILLION A YEAR.
A PROFIT FROM THE COURT.
THAT IS JUST 1% OF THE CITY
BUDGET.
BUDGET.
BUDGET. DISORDERLY CONDUCT CASES ARE
ONLY A FRACTION OF THAT.
OUR ANALYSIS OF MORE THAN 700
INDIVIDUAL INCIDENTS SHOWS THAT
46% OF THOSE SANDY SPRINGS
DISORDERLY CONDUCT ARREST ARE
ACTUALLY DRUG CASES, AND
RESIDENTS HAVE NO WAY OF