MAKE POT FINE $5,000, BROOKFIELD JUDGE SAYS

Confident his marijuana crackdown with maximum $2,000 fines is causing
potential users to think twice, Brookfield's municipal court judge
wants the stakes more than doubled.

Judge Richard J. Steinberg said if the $2,000 fine is getting the
attention of pot smokers, the threat of a $5,000 maximum fine might
have a bigger impact still. He suggested adopting the higher fine to
the city attorney's office this week.

"I have gotten some feel from around the community and even outside
the community . . . and they've all been supportive of it," Steinberg
said, "and many people have said, 'Charge them more.' "

But not everyone, including the city's police chief, is convinced such
a huge jump in the fine will deter marijuana use.

"To me, I don't see any increased benefit from doing that," Chief
Robert Jacobs said. "If a kid doesn't care about the $2,000, they're
not going to care about the $5,000, either."

Before Steinberg's get-tough approach began early last year, people
found with small amounts of marijuana in Brookfield were fined as
little as $269.

But over the past year, Steinberg has imposed the maximum $2,000 fine
16 times. He said the fine -- which is part of a crackdown that
includes a mandatory court appearance and a community service sentence
for those receiving lesser fines -- was spurred by what he considered
a growing nonchalance among those caught with the drug.

If unrepentant marijuana users can afford to buy the drug, Steinberg
said, they can afford a big fine. He cited one instance in which a man
willingly paid the $2,000 fine rather than accept a smaller forfeiture
in conjunction with community service and drug testing.

Steinberg said the $2,000 fine typically is reserved for those with
indifferent attitudes or criminal records, or those with "the
arrogance" not to show up in court at all.

But Steinberg makes many of the offenders -- especially teens and
young adults -- perform community service and get drug testing and
counseling as an alternative to the maximum fine.

One local official who thinks Steinberg's tough approach has had a
positive impact is Elmbrook Schools Superintendent Matthew Gibson.

"I think that message has gone out and it has been a deterrent,"
Gibson said.