New Cite and Release program begins today

SAN ANTONIO – Law enforcement officials on Monday will begin to enforce a new Cite and Release program, which will operate out of the Bexar County Reentry Center.

The new program will allow a police officer to issue a citation, rather than arrest someone who is accused of committing a low-level offense.

Officials on Friday said the goal of the program is to give people accused of minor offenses a chance to change and to keep officers from being tied up with booking suspects for nonviolent crimes.

Qualifying offenses include possessing small amounts of marijuana, petty thefts and driving without a valid license.

If the accused offender is accepted into the program, he or she must complete a redirection course that addresses their offense. If successfully completed within 60 days, the case goes away. Otherwise, it's prosecuted.