Concerned about how we are perceive by local/county law enforcement

I am concerned about how we as law abiding citizens are perceived by our local law enforcement. If you have comment, information or questions that relate directly to that I would very much like to hear from you:


In my daily work (servicing copy machines) I spend quite a bit of time in customers offices in 5 counties. These offices include a number of local PD's and County Sheriff's offices. I have on several occasions heard comment regarding MMJ. I was suprised to discover that each agency views the law differently. Some common items I have heard bother me a bit though:

1) Many of them don't view MMJ as legit medicine but as a way for hoodlums to get away with something that they shouldn't be doing.

2) Several agencies are looking for ways to force local registration so that they know where all MMJ activity takes place.

3) Many MMJ recomendations are considered to be "questionable" simply because the paperwork/form from the physician is sloppy or unprofessional looking. Apparently the purdy colored letterhead makes the recommendation "more legal".....

4) It gets worse. I have heard comment that a particular MMJ recommendation was probably phony because the picture of the recommending physician that they found on the net "looked like a stoner"...

If your local law enforcement does not agree with the validity of your MMJ recommendation they can still arrest you and try and make you prove it to the Judge. A legit recommendation should not be difficult to back up in court but the time, money and hassle involved could be quite significant.

IMHO: There are two things that may help:

1) Send copies of the "King County Memorandum", that another member kindly provided, to your local Police Chief or Sheriff. Please make lots of copies as I need the work

2) Impress on the Physicians and Support Organizations that presenting a professional image to the general public and to law enforcement is critical.

Well first off, they can think what ever they damn well please, the law says what the law says. At this point if your a legitmate patient, and operating within your legal limits, all they can do is waste your time and cause you aggravation.

Secondly, I really have to wonder how many mmj patients they've actually met. If I was a cop, and striaght and narrow one at that, and the only bud busts I took part in, were dipshits in high school, couch potatoes, people driving recklessly and/or getting in wrecks, and cut throats out to make a quick easy buck. Well I'd probably think the same way.

So as a community, I think we should do the opposite. We should be mature, law abiding, responsible, and as hard working, as any other person out there.We won't overcome the stereotypes, unless the stereotype ceases to be stereotypical.

Well said Horseman,

I do agree with most of what you said. They generally deal with the bottom of the barrel, the cream of the crap. They don't have a great deal of experience dealing with legal pot smokers. We need to educate by example that we are law abiding citizens.

What I have to take exception to is "Well first off, they can think what ever they damn well please, the law says what the law says." Yes, they do have to operate within the confines of the law AS THEY UNDERSTAND IT. If they arrest you, confiscate your medicine and put you in jail while exercising their duty and the DA later decides to drop the charges or perhaps you have to prove your legal status in court. At this point you have been subjected to circumstances & expenses that no law abiding citizen should have to endure.

My hope is that we may be able to educate LE that we are not criminals exploiting a loophole in the justice system. We are law abiding citizens attending to out own personal health.

I don't want to look back at having been arrested, loosing my job & my home, spending my savings to be able to say "I was right". I want LE in my community to understand that what I am doing is legal from the beginning.

Gawd I can get long winded sometimes.......

I can relate that while working for someone in Yakima for a while, that the local constabulary ran unleased drug dogs through a motel that had a prior shady reputation but had been taken over by new owners who were trying to run off the riff raff. I was told by someone who observed this event that the dog stopped by my room and my truck sniffing around. :( I go every where with my medicine. :D Kind of like an American Express Card. Never leave home without it!!!! :jointsmile:

And to top it all off, I saw one of Yakima's finest (sic) taser a guy that had a bag of meth in his mouth. The moron took four taser shots before he spit out the meth. I don't approve of the meth and its destructive nature, and I don't really approve of tasering some one four times. but, who am I to say since I observed it, and I was asked by another officer what I saw and told them the truth. Why lie. My employeer was trying to clean up the nest of meth freaks, but they don't have problems with medical marijuana people. Maybe the Yakima and Yakima county cops do. :twocents:

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Originally Posted by gypski

I can relate that while working for someone in Yakima for a while, that the local constabulary ran unleased drug dogs through a motel that had a prior shady reputation but had been taken over by new owners who were trying to run off the riff raff. I was told by someone who observed this event that the dog stopped by my room and my truck sniffing around. :( I go every where with my medicine. :D Kind of like an American Express Card. Never leave home without it!!!! :jointsmile:

And to top it all off, I saw one of Yakima's finest (sic) taser a guy that had a bag of meth in his mouth. The moron took four taser shots before he spit out the meth. I don't approve of the meth and its destructive nature, and I don't really approve of tasering some one four times. but, who am I to say since I observed it, and I was asked by another officer what I saw and told them the truth. Why lie. My employeer was trying to clean up the nest of meth freaks, but they don't have problems with medical marijuana people. Maybe the Yakima and Yakima county cops do. :twocents:

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Well shit. And I thought cops were our friend.lol

:thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by OldFart

I am concerned about how we as law abiding citizens are perceived by our local law enforcement. If you have comment, information or questions that relate directly to that I would very much like to hear from you:


In my daily work (servicing copy machines) I spend quite a bit of time in customers offices in 5 counties. These offices include a number of local PD's and County Sheriff's offices. I have on several occasions heard comment regarding MMJ. I was suprised to discover that each agency views the law differently. Some common items I have heard bother me a bit though:

1) Many of them don't view MMJ as legit medicine but as a way for hoodlums to get away with something that they shouldn't be doing.
2) Several agencies are looking for ways to force local registration so that they know where all MMJ activity takes place.

3) Many MMJ recomendations are considered to be "questionable" simply because the paperwork/form from the physician is sloppy or unprofessional looking. Apparently the purdy colored letterhead makes the recommendation "more legal".....
4) It gets worse. I have heard comment that a particular MMJ recommendation was probably phony because the picture of the recommending physician that they found on the net "looked like a stoner"...

If your local law enforcement does not agree with the validity of your MMJ recommendation they can still arrest you and try and make you prove it to the Judge. A legit recommendation should not be difficult to back up in court but the time, money and hassle involved could be quite significant.

IMHO: There are two things that may help:

1) Send copies of the "King County Memorandum", that another member kindly provided, to your local Police Chief or Sheriff. Please make lots of copies as I need the work
2) Impress on the Physicians and Support Organizations that presenting a professional image to the general public and to law enforcement is critical.

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Well HI ya OLDFART!!!:thumbsup:

On Blue Point 1; It really doesn't matter how they view it. In Washington, it is provided for, within the law.
On Blue Point 2; If you have the proper papers, as described in I692-Full Text ,RCW 69.51A.010 Definitions, there really shouldn't be a problem. But if your worried ask your DR. for proof he is qualified to recommend you use MMJ. Sorry for the old link! I can't find a link to the latest version. I believe documentation is the same.

I'm sorry but RED Point 1 is OFF THE CHARTS!!!!!
The next thing I'm going to do will be, send the Police, the "King County Memorandum" or any other memorandum I have laying around. Shortly after, I'm going to send my information to one of these CO-OPs.

SORRY!!! JUST KIDDING!!!
If you don't want to have to deal with points 1,2 PLEASE don't do point 1.
I suggest keeping it private, enough people already know if you are growing.
No Need To Advertise!!!

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Originally Posted by Dreadscale

:thumbsup:

Well HI ya OLDFART!!!:thumbsup:

On Blue Point 1; It really doesn't matter how they view it. In Washington, it is provided for, within the law.
On Blue Point 2; If you have the proper papers, as described in I692-Full Text ,RCW 69.51A.010 Definitions, there really shouldn't be a problem. But if your worried ask your DR. for proof he is qualified to recommend you use MMJ. Sorry for the old link! I can't find a link to the latest version. I believe documentation is the same.

I'm sorry but RED Point 1 is OFF THE CHARTS!!!!!
The next thing I'm going to do will be, send the Police, the "King County Memorandum" or any other memorandum I have laying around. Shortly after, I'm going to send my information to one of these CO-OPs.

SORRY!!! JUST KIDDING!!!
If you don't want to have to deal with points 1,2 PLEASE don't do point 1.
I suggest keeping it private, enough people already know if you are growing.
No Need To Advertise!!!

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I must not have communicated my concern properly.

If a Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) believes you may be breaking the law (subjective:believe) LEO may arrest you and take you to jail. You may hire an attorney and post bail. You may appear in court with your (expensive) attorney and demonstrate to the Judge that you are obeying the law. You may go home. All is good with the world.

I would hope to avoid all of that by educating LEO as to the reality of MMJ.

As to your post, please explain the red portion and the closing. I am afraid I don't understand what you are saying?

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Originally Posted by killerweed420

Well shit. And I thought cops were our friend.lol

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I have had a broad range of experience with LEO. Family, friends, roommates.
Been locked up on suspicion of a felony (mistaken identity), been let go when they could have rightfully arrested me (racing on public hwy @ 3X speed limit).

Cops are people. Some are assholes, some are on power trips, some are good people trying their best to serve their community. None of them are perfect, unbiased law enforcement machines.

If we want to be treated properly is it wrong for us to make an effort to educate them and try to relate to them??

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Originally Posted by OldFart

I have had a broad range of experience with LEO. Family, friends, roommates.
Been locked up on suspicion of a felony (mistaken identity), been let go when they could have rightfully arrested me (racing on public hwy @ 3X speed limit).

Cops are people. Some are assholes, some are on power trips, some are good people trying their best to serve their community. None of them are perfect, unbiased law enforcement machines.

If we want to be treated properly is it wrong for us to make an effort to educate them and try to relate to them??

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If only they would have a sign around their necks like "asshole", "power tripper", "good cop", etc:pimp:

"Here's your sign...."