Captain
Kevin Cashman of the San Francisco Police Department Narcotics Division
was kind enough to visit our LAMPS meeting. Questions from membership
were written on cards and presented to the Captain.
Here
is a partial transcript of his words::
Inspector
Halloran was also present.
Cashman
began by giving an overview of medical marijuana. The SFPD is fully
committed to community policing. Feedback is the lifeblood of community
policing. By using voter records, the community is favor of Prop 215.
They focus their efforts on harder drugs, taking a majority of their
resources.
He
believes Prop 215 is not the best written documents. They haven't
gotten any guidelines from the AG's office.
They
came out with a department bulletin. It was not distributed until
February 27th that is ever evolving. No officer can say they did not
know the policy.
He
read the SFPD guidelines. Technically, he said the police can still
arrest people for marijuana offenses. Patients can only grow enough
for personal needs.
The
officer doesn't have to provide a defense for medical marijuana. If
the person asserts their claim to medical marijuana. They can use
their DPH cards, physician's recommendation, and statements from the
suspect.
Factors:
packaging
of marijuana
cards or IDs
amount of marijuana
If
the officers have reasonable belief they will give the patient a receipt
for their time. If the officer believes it is not for medical purposes,
they leave it with the sergeant, either on the site or at the station.
If the suspect is arrested, the marijuana is booked into possession.
He
believes the SFPD is on the cutting edge of medical marijuana policy.
He
did not talk too much about the Sixth Street Harm Reduction. They
don't work with the DEA. They don't adhere to our guidelines, we don't
adhere to theirs.
What
portion of narcotics arrest are marijuana? 5-10 % of arrests are weed.
Arrests have gone done for marijuana. Cultivation arrests have risen
significant. One case netted 147,000. plants.
They
are handled by a case by case basis. He was in possession of powdered
cocaine and 15lbs of marijuana.
If
the pot is confiscated, and the police error, the pot will not be
returned but will be returned after a court order because they do
not want to arrest officers.
Prop
215 doesn't make provisions for public medicating.
If
you are going to grow, you should get permits.
