Possible crackdown in San Fernando Valley
May 28th, 2009 | by Don Duncan |
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the local District Attorney may be orchestrating a crackdown on medical cannabis patients’ associations in the San Fernando Valley. Defense attorney Bill Kroger, who represents a collective raided by the LAPD yesterday, spoke with Detective Holcomb from the Devonshire Precinct today. Detective Holcomb claims the LAPD raided four collectives in recent days – and that more will follow.
Detective Holcomb offered the same spurious explanations for the raids we have come to expect from law enforcement – “dispensaries are illegal under People v. Mentch, these places are operating for profit, no sales of cannabis are legal,” etc. I addressed these untenable arguments in greater length on the Americans for Safe Access (ASA) blog today.
New LAPD raids come at an uncertain time for Los Angeles patients’ associations. The fate of hundreds of hardship applications filed by collectives and cooperatives that opened or relocated after the city’s moratorium took effect in September of 2007 may be decided soon. The buzz from City Hall is that many will be denied. The City Council is also working to craft permanent regulations before the moratorium expires on September 14, 2009. A proposal by outgoing City Attorney to close all of the city’s storefront facilities seems dead, but advocates worry the City Council is running out of time to adopt a more sensible measure.
Los Angeles area collective and cooperative operators would do well to be on high alert for police activity – especially in the Devonshire precinct. This includes communities like Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Granada Hills, Northridge, Porter Ranch, West Hills, and Winnetka. Take some precautions to protect staff and members:
1. Limit the amount of medicine and other assets on hand to only what is necessary to serve members.
2. Make sure everyone knows to remain silent if detained and questioned.
3. Schedule a staff meeting or training to prepare for a raid.
4. Have an attorney on call for emergencies.
5. Make a plan for what to do if you are in jail – bail, child care, securing the facility, etc.
6. Be 100% sure there are no weapons or illegal drugs in the facility.
I also recommend you call ASA toll free at (888) 929-4367 to report any law enforcement encounters. Leave a message at extension 319 or email legalsupport@safeaccessnow.org if you do not get through.
Federal pressure on collectives may be waning, but we still must be vigilant. We are likely to see more LAPD activity as the public outcry about the continued proliferation of collectives grows and the deadline for the new ordinance gets closer.
Tags: Devonshire, Holcomb, LAPD, Los Angeles, moratorium, raid
By Chris St John on Jan 6, 2010
Wow, you would think all shops and h-bombs or something. Its just weed, grown from the earth…just legalize it, tax it, and get it over with already…