cannabisnews.com: LAPD Role in Marijuana-Clinic Raids Questioned





LAPD Role in Marijuana-Clinic Raids Questioned
Posted by CN Staff on August 15, 2007 at 06:33:15 PT
By Rachel Uranga, Staff Writer
Source: Los Angeles Daily News 
Los Angeles, CA -- LAPD officers have participated in federal raids of California voter-backed medical-marijuana clinics, even though the department says it backs using marijuana for medical purposes. Responding to Los Angeles City Council criticism that the LAPD was wasting resources aiding federal officials cracking down on dispensaries the city and state recognize as legal, Cmdr. David Doan told the Police Commission on Tuesday that officers served as security on search warrants but did not initiate investigations.
"The department is supportive of the use of marijuana for medical purposes," Doan said. "The department is supportive of the state law." Doan said the department assigns one detective to a federal task force on asset forfeiture. The detective dedicates at least 20 percent of his time to investigations related to medical-marijuana clinics. In 1996, California voters backed a proposition that allowed the use of medical marijuana and for nonprofit clinics to distribute the drug. But federal agents, who consider the cultivation of marijuana a crime, have been cracking down on the clinics. Earlier this month, council members urged federal officials to stop the raids. They also approved a moratorium on new dispensaries while they develop guidelines for the location of facilities and hours of operation. Councilman Dennis Zine, who authored the bill, said the Los Angeles Police Department's participation "dilutes our relationship with legitimate medicinal facilities." "We don't feel comfortable working with the (Drug Enforcement Administration) and raiding those places," he said. Since 2005, more than 200 medical-marijuana clinics have popped up across the city. The LAPD says some have created problems in neighborhoods, from loitering to theft to recruiting school-age children to use pot. Source: Los Angeles Daily News (CA)Author: Rachel Uranga, Staff WriterPublished: August 14, 2007Copyright: 2007 Los Angeles Newspaper GroupWebsite: http://www.dailynews.comContact: http://www.dailynews.com/writealetterCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by Dankhank on August 15, 2007 at 11:36:00 PT
more law lawbreakin'
how the FBI works against honest people ...http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293156,00.html
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Comment #2 posted by Had Enough on August 15, 2007 at 08:47:25 PT
Just more stuff…
“The LAPD says some have created problems in neighborhoods, from loitering to theft to recruiting school-age children to use pot.”I doubt the operators or customers of these pot dispensaries were out to recruit the “children”.They make it sound as if people go right from the dispensary to the school playground.If they were doing that, wouldn’t the LAPD arrest them for that?I’m sure they would like to make a bust like that. Boy would they ever have fun with the media. I can hear it now – We told you so – See – See- Look there; "It will hook our sons and daughters”.Just more stuff…Don’t Step on the Grass Sam!!!Government Mule version originally by Steppenwolfhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAyWuG08D1g&mode=related&search=and…http://www.steppenwolf.com/
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Comment #1 posted by Truth on August 15, 2007 at 08:26:23 PT
LAPD 
"Doan said the department assigns one detective to a federal task force on asset forfeiture."There are many ways to steal.God is watching. The hate crimes have got to end.
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