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Is law enforcement incentivized against legalizing marijuana?

February 11, 2014

pot plantsAs Colorado was legalizing medical marijuana, law enforcement officials from California voiced their disapproval pointing at what they deemed failed medical marijuana laws in California. [McClatchy]

“I was told that we hadn’t learned anything from California – that you can’t do anything to regulate marijuana,” said Matt Cook, a retired Colorado Springs police officer who became the first director of Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division, to McClatchy.

In Colorado, where pot retailers sell recreational marijuana, the state tags marijuana plants, inspects dispensary books and requires video surveillance of regulated pot deliveries and sales.

In California, law enforcement officials have forcefully opposed any legislation seen as legitimizing a marijuana industry. Their opposition is supposedly based on the belief that medical marijuana businesses are profiteering shams that were never authorized by California voters.

Marijuana advocates contend that police are unwilling to support marijuana legalization because they are too invested in pot policing through drug enforcement grants and revenue from seized houses, cars and property in marijuana prosecutions. California took in $181.4 million in revenue from seized property and money in marijuana cases from 2002 to 2012.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that police in Washington were taking budget hits after marijuana was legalized for recreational use. Some police drug task forces lost 15 percent of funding due to decreased revenue from marijuana forfeiture cases.

 


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Our narcs in this area are as corrupt as they get. Officer Jay boy Dickel getting a bunch of canned warrants for the doobie dozen without checking which ones were actually following state law. Officer Amy Dobson Chastain lied to a doctor for back pain in order to get a 215 card. Officer Aenerude saying, “what the attorney General says doesn’t mean shit, the attorney General is not the law, WE are the law”. Commander John promising convictions and treating the arrestees like a bunch of hoodlums. And to top it off, heroin addict Cory Pierce, the officer in the federal pen was the lead investigator. These guys are the real criminals here. We as citizens through our tax dollars pay for these idiot’s membership into the Ca Narcotic Officers Association. That bs bunch of a holes use our tax dollars to pay a top lobbyist to lobby against marijuana decriminalization every step of the way even though we don’t want that as a voting populous. This is taxpayer funded lobbying that should be illegal. I still laugh about the loser Cory Pierce every time I hear his name. They should have given him 100 years. Give it up boys, you lose.


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SLO county’s sadistic group of Narcs are concerned about 2 things. Asset forfeiture and job security. Most have never read the A. G.’s guidelines or Prop 215. They bust people without knowing the law. It’s documented. Ask Cory Pierce, when he gets out of jail. He admitted it on the witness stand, so did Dickle. These guy’s can eat worms and pound sand. Don’t drop the soap, Cory!


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Where do you even get this info. Have you read the warrants for each of these people. Where do you find those direct quotes ( FYI that could be liable and slander if your making them up and passing them off as direct quotes) Don’t you think undercover work involves Some level of deception in order to seek out criminals. After all and undercover is pretending not to be a cop just like they are pretending to have back pain in order to expose a corrupt doctor. And which article did it say pierce was the lead investigator. I thought he was one of the actors in this whole ordeal. You don’t have to like what they did or how they did but don’t make stuff up. Get your facts straight


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As one of the people arrested I am quite sure about the circumstances in the doobie

dozen case, and all the quotes referred to were in my living room, so I know for a fact

they were made (to me, actually) and as part of the group affected I am personally

aware Corrie Pierce was the lead investigator and not only present at all entrapment

appointments, but outside my home at the time of the invasion.

The facts are straight!


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That took guts, Lady! Thanks for speaking up…


Just Sayin’…


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Ruserios, which one of the facts do you want proven to you? As Rachel stated, we witnessed them. First hand knowledge is pretty accurate when you were one of the arrestees.


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I think all of those officers you mentioned worked for the now defunct California Department of Justice Narcotics Task Force. A colleague defended one of the “doobie dozen” and I recall him saying that agency was out of control. I think the sheriff’s department investigates drug cases and I read in the paper that they were alerted to Officer Pierce’s crimes and they brought in the FBI to handle the case to avoid any accusation of cover up, etc. I know from talk around the courthouse that Pierce’s victims are suing the City of San Luis Obispo, Pierce’s employer but not the sheriff’s department.


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Legalize it, but make legalization come with the condition that users can never receive public assistance. Smoke all the pot you want, but don’t make me pay for your 3am pizza deliveries.


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Who delivers pizza at three in the morning?


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So, we now test everyone applying for government assistance? And what of those already receiving it, test them as well? Oh yea, that’ll work… And you’ll be the first to line up and volunteer additional tax dollars for this screening?


And please consider this:


THC – Substances or Conditions which can cause false positives:


– Dronabinol (Marinol)

– Ibuprofen; (Advil, Nuprin, Motrin, Excedrin IB etc)

– Ketoprofen (Orudis KT)

– Kidney infection (Kidney disease, diabetes) Liver Disease

– Naproxen (Aleve)

– Promethazine (Phenergan, Promethegan)

– Riboflavin (B2, Hempseed Oil)


And, IMHO:


Where there’s a dirty test the legal standards of “reasonable search and seizure”, “burden of proof” and “due process” goes away; they can collect it on a suspicion (in California it’s a bit more than that but not much…), it’s considered irrefutable and you don’t have the right to face your accusers until after you’ve suffered the consequences.


One more thing:


Even in Colorado where it is now legal, an employer can still fire you for a positive THC test. Yea, that’s right! And in saying that; THC can stay in your system from 15 days to 6 months (depending on who’s doing the study) because it is not a “water soluble” drug (it’s absorbed by fatty tissues and isn’t so easily peed out like most other drugs, especially alcohol). And, those who choose to consume alcohol off the job, legally and responsibly, and where their job performance isn’t affected in a negative or unsafe manner, don’t suffer those same consequences.


Oh yea! Sorry! Just one more thing…


Give me that number for the 3am pizza delivery place, I’ll call them at just before 2 so I can get some beer to go with it. Ahhh, Nuccis and Pale Ale, heaven!


Just sayin”…


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I have never met a pot smoker who wouldn’t rather get high, munch food, then curl up in bed for a while than set the world on fire through his ambitious and competitive attitude. To each his own, however, as their ambition declines, their welfare will increase. That’s what I want no part of.


By the way, not all towns close at midnight. Have had many a 3am pizza with my pothead buddies. The difference was, I woke up at 7 to go to work, they stayed in bed until noon.


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I’ve known some folks who got real motivated on pot, others who go to sleep after doing a huge amount of meth’ (don’t get all excited now, I just know a lot of people who have done a lot of things). It’s all about how your body reacts to the drug.


“Marijuana can be categorized as a stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen.” – Center for Substance Abuse Research


Just Sayin’….


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marijuana interrupts nicotine cravings I would not have been able to quit my 44 year habit with out it , it is a friendly entity


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It’s high time (no pun) to legalize weed. License manufacturers, slap a 100% excise tax on it (to keep the booze makers happy), require someone to be 21 to buy the stuff, regulate the strength of it and the drug cartels would finally meet their match — at least on this drug.


The controls are already in place to handle retail sales of weed — ever see someone try to buy a pack of cigarettes or pouch of pipe tobacco at the store today?


At the same time give employers (particularly those that require the operation of dangerous machinery or customer service) the right to test for THC (and alcohol/other drugs) at any time and terminate if they find it. Stoners can make the choice up front whether to retain their jobs or get high. Purely their choice.


I’m all for it. Let’s do it.


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I wholeheartedly agree!


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In addition to all the other points raised, I have to wonder how much federal money and “assistance” is linked to cooperation of local authorities in the feds’ “War on Drugs.” Another factor could be the ability to use “illegal possession” as a hook to nail someone who they suspect of other crimes. If that is the case, they need to “up their game” and get the bad guys on the correct charges because the side effects are way too negative to tolerate that kind of lazy policework.


I agree that the whole anti-marijuana aspect of the war on drugs is a waste of tax-payer dollars. Pot use does have its negative aspects but they aren’t any worse than alcohol and tobacco. Even for serious drug problems like Meth, I wonder if there isn’t a better approach than going for criminal penalties as a first resort. This country needs to rethink its approaches to minor crimes because the cost is too high in dollars, in unnecessary alienation of citizens and in the temptation for police to become authoritarian enforcers rather than civil servants.


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“Is law enforcement incentivized against legalizing marijuana?” Ab so lute ly. And for this particular discussion, law enforcement not only includes the various police departments, sheriff departments, state police agencies, federal agencies, and last, but certainly not least, correctional officers unions. For the actual enforcement agencies, which the C.O.s are not an “agency” per se, the forfeiture rules allowing the confiscation of property is probably the number one reason why LEOs are so adamant about fighting legalization. For the C.O.s, it is the “fear” of reduced job opportunities and reduced overtime.

Add to all of this mix of legal definitions, is the chilling effect the current classification of cannabis has on actual scientific research into the various benefits of cannabis; of which, there are many, so who do you think will lead the push to stifle research? Big Pharma, of course. Plus, like mentioned before, big alcohol and regular tobacco will be pushing back as well.


So the question remains, who benefits from the current prohibition on cannabis; does the current enforcement methods truly benefit society at large? Does the war on cannabis make the general population safer?


How can anyone who pauses a moment to actually think about it justify the current legal status of cannabis?


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Bob, You hit the nail on the head. So many are for or against it for personal reasons. There is a huge flow of money to fight against the pot crowd. I am not so sure I want retail pot stores on every corner like alcohol but we need to stop wasted dollars on getting wasted. Let put our resources to better use like building a desalination plant, or building more schools, or hiring .more teachers. Society will be vastly better with more teachers than it is with more police


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Good point

No one should have thumb down this.


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Hey, bobfromsanluis,


I got something that just shocked the hell out of me, and maybe it will you as well,,,


When Prop’ 19 was introduced the group of people who stayed the farthest away from it was…. the California Correctional Peace Officers Association! They refused to endorse it, and from what I’ve read, contributed no money towards it. WOW! Who would think, right?


Just something to ponder on as we stroll down memory lane, some of us with that silly pot induced grin on our faces searching out the nearest 7/11 to load up on Chocodiles and such… God, what a bunch of criminals we are! Hostess should be scared as hell!! (I don’t smoke pot, can’t! I have COPD and the adverse effects far outweigh the good it used to do me… I do miss the laughter that seemed to be everywhere that beautiful pungent odor lingered… I Must Say!)


Just Sayin’….


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As I’ve posted before, I’ve never tried the stuff and am too old to start now…BUT our country’s failed “war on drugs” is ridiculous. Heroin and meth= death but pot seems to be a recreational-type drug that–if done in some adult’s own home–I could care less about.


How many hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars have been wasted enforcing laws against marijuana? How about just make the stuff legal and funnel all that money into public schools instead ?!


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Over 40 years and counting. If you cannot win a war after 40 years then give it up and legalize the drugs so crime would be reduced.


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War on Poverty…


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Thank You So Much! That brought tears to my eyes rOy! I shit you not!!! That was out-of-the-park Mr.!!!


Just sayin’…


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Their next conjecture will probably be it will cost them, the police, jobs. Maybe it will, and maybe that won’t be such a bad thing. The more militarized they become and the further they get from the idea they are here to “Protect AND Serve” the less of them we need, IMHO!


What may very well happen is it will free up law enforcement personnel, and their high priced time, to go after those who need to be got! Real law enforcement officers will see this an an opportunity to do some real police work. It will allow them to invest the time an energy to go after those who murder, rape, rob and otherwise represent true crimes that involve real victims.


It should be noted that one of the loudest opponents back in 2010 when Prop’ 19(?) was introduced was The California Beer & Beverage Distributors. Gee, I wonder why?


I still would rather see a guy comin’ at me with a joint in his hand, higher than a kite, then a drunk with a bottle of any type of alcohol in his hand. One you’d pacify with a Din Dong the other with a baseball bat! I’ll leave up to you to figure out which applies to which…


Just Sayin’…


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I am seeing more and more agencies going “dark” of late. It is not a good sign.


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Well, the crooked cops would certainly miss out on their “Training Day” payoffs and jackpots if weed was legalized.


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legalizing mj is a job killer for law enforcement .


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Win-win


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