Daily News on LAPD Involvement in Dispensary Raids

The LA Daily News has an article today following up on something that confused me about the recent federal raids on Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensaries: many pictures of the raids showed what appeared to be LAPD officers at the raids.

(Below: An image from a photo essay on the July LA dispensary raids at LAist.com shows what appear to be LAPD officers. Photo by Shay Sowden.)

I guess I wasn't the only one who wondered why LA police were backing up the federal government despite an official city stance that tolerates the existence of dispensaries (Cal NORML also released a statement raising questions about this). Rachel Uranga of the Daily News writes:

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."

...

Councilman Dennis Zine . . . said the Los Angeles Police Department's participation "dilutes our relationship with legitimate medicinal facilities."

Cmdr. Doan's explanation doesn't wash. I think the truth is that police have a hard time wrapping their head around the idea that they should be on the side of the dispensaries and the people protesting in favor of the dispensaries. If you click through to Shay Sowden's excellent photo essay linked above, you'll see images of cops arresting people at the protests outside the raids under circumstances that truly don't look like they involved a threat to anyone at all.

A video clip that was posted on YouTube after a raid on a dispensary also purports to show an LAPD detective wearing DEA gear and participating in the raid. Other clips, such as the one shown below, show the city police behaving pretty well but still raise the question why the city is spending money to support a federal policy that it ostensibly opposes.

I have to say, I love the "Uphold state law" chant that the protesters are using in this clip. It's funny how supporting medical marijuana can simultaneously be rebellious and totally mundane.

Related Posts:
What Do The Pictures Show? The Culver City Police Department, Blackwater, and the DEA 8/4/08
More on LAPD Participation in Dispensary Raids 8/16/07

Comments

[Long Beach Defense Attorney]

It is indeed ironic that the state has said it is ok to smoke pot if you are sick, however the feds are arresting those that provide it. The Supreme Court needs to resolve this issue ASAP.

[Alex]

Well after Gonzales v. Raich I'm not sure it's an issue for the Court so much as it's an issue for Congress -- unless I misunderstand your point.