Cops Raid Marijuana Dispensary In Order To Play Darts, Sample Edibles And Offer To Kick Amputee Owner 'In The Nub'

from the LOL,-CIVILIANS dept

Wed, Jun 17th 2015 3:50pm — Tim Cushing

If we accept the premise that law enforcement and intelligence agencies encroach on personal freedoms and rights in "the public interest" -- i.e., to ensure the safety of non-criminals -- then we have to ask ourselves how this raid of a medical marijuana dispensary fits into this thought process. [via CJ Ciaramella]

Santa Ana (CA) cops raided a pot dispensary -- not because the items for sale were illegal under local laws -- but simply because it was unlicensed. Sure, having the proper paperwork in place is important, but this dispensary was in line to receive authorization from the city -- a process delayed by the locality's faulty licensing "lottery" system, which was gamed by businesses who "stuffed" the selection box by purchasing multiple bids.

The PD performing the raid treated this lack of proper paperwork like it was the Zeta Cartel operating under its nose. The video captured by the dispensary's cameras shows heavily-armed cops -- some wearing ski masks -- smashing through two doors and yelling at the peaceably-assembled customers to lie on the floor. Then -- somehow -- it gets worse.

The cops tear the place apart, strip cameras from the walls and yank the DVR off the shelf in the back room. They play darts, sample the presumably-cannabis-laced goods, and otherwise fuck around. Why? Because there is absolutely no danger present, despite the use of ski masks, weapons and tactical gear. This is "public safety" being ensured by a raid on a sitting duck that threatened no harm to the surrounding community. The final result of all this noise and damage? Tickets for violating a city ordinance.

But despite their expertise, the cops missed a couple of cameras. And that's going to hurt them. Especially when one female cop is caught on camera disparaging one of the owners -- an amputee confined to a wheelchair -- by stating she wanted to kick her in the "nub." (Enjoy the first few seconds of this video, where a cop attempts to break down a set of metal PULL doors by hammering them in the wrong direction with his ram.)

The police department has responded to the recording that got away with nonsensical claims that the released footage is "non-chronological" and "edited." I can't even imagine what the full footage shows, other than there being a bit more breathing room between unprofessional actions and misconduct on the part of the raiding officers.

This is the charade of drug enforcement: cops raiding a dispensary for code violations, rather than its potential ability to diminish the safety of other Santa Ana residents. And doing it in full battle gear, as though it expected a hail of gunfire in response to its backdoor-smashing entry. The entire incident is pathetic, bordering on nauseating: a pointless, vulgar display of power that wreaked havoc on a local business simply in order to issue two citations.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: california, marijuana, paperwork, police, raid, santa ana

48 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

That One Guy (profile), 17 Jun 2015 @ 4:06pm

The police department has responded to the recording that got away with nonsensical claims that the released footage is "non-chronological" and "edited."

Gee, if only there was more video to show the entire raid uninterrupted. Oh, right...

The cops tear the place apart, strip cameras from the walls and yank the DVR off the shelf in the back room.

Sarcasm aside, I imagine they went with such a pathetic excuse because they know that the odds of any of those involved receiving more than a slap on the wrist is as close to zero as to be indistinguishable. Why put more effort into it than you have to after all, especially when being honest would force them to admit that the behavior of those involved is inexcusable.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Nigel (profile), 17 Jun 2015 @ 4:15pm

It gets worse. There are allegedly some kickbacks involved from other pot shops.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Lawsuits-To-Be-Filed-Against-Santa-Ana-After-Pot-Shop- Raid-307406381.html
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2015 @ 4:26pm

When will they ever learn?
The destruction of the video cameras cannot be considered 'arresting' the object and there might be an argument for destruction of evidence. Was the DVR turned in with its evidence intact or did someone take home a nice piece of equipment?

While the local DA might not want to discipline these thugs, the stores insurance company might go to town on them.

And all they got to charge were a couple of citations? Were those misdemeanors?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Machin Shin (profile), 17 Jun 2015 @ 4:30pm

Is it just me that thinks at least part of this is extremely easy to solve? All police now have mandatory drug test, anyone positive for weed is fired on the spot. At that point you just have one or two more to identify from the video. As an added bonus, who knows how many dirty cops you will find that have other drugs in their system.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Nicci Stevens (profile), 17 Jun 2015 @ 4:52pm

The destruction of the video cameras cannot be considered 'arresting' the object and there might be an argument for destruction of evidence. Was the DVR turned in with its evidence intact or did someone take home a nice piece of equipment?

While the local DA might not want to discipline these thugs, the stores insurance company might go to town on them.

The OC DA was already removed, along with dozens of prosecutors, from a different case due to things like paying for witnesses, tampering and other misconduct. Why should we expect them to do "the right thing" now, other than to exonerate the cops?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Nate (profile), 17 Jun 2015 @ 5:13pm

Re:
Yep.

"Hey, that's a nice shop you got there. It would be a shame if something happened to it."
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2015 @ 5:40pm

... Not because it didn't win a lottery ticket...
The city could not enforce the lottery system, because there was a temporary restraining order on the system. The best that can be said is that ALL dispensaries in the area would fall into the same category, the worst, that the raid was unlawful due to there being no license criteria in force at the time.

Apparently opening a dispensary is complex. ... but as that locality had no law in force restricting licenses...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2015 @ 5:41pm

Nothing like the hands on approach of hired goons.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
seedeevee (profile), 17 Jun 2015 @ 5:46pm

[UPDATE]: Cop . . . Recalls Party Time W/Judge Who Signed Search Warrant
Dirt top to bottom in OC.

[UPDATE]: Santa Ana Cop In Raid Footage Recalls Party Time W/Judge Who Signed Search Warrant

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2015/06/santa_ana_cops_caught_on_camera_eating_pot_cand y_joking_about_kicking_amputee_patient_in_her_nub.php
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2015 @ 5:55pm

Clear and Present Danger
"Because there is absolutely no danger present"
WTF? Slant the truth much? Did you not see the cop use the swivel chair with wheels as a step stool? No danger, my donut fed ass.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
scotts13 (profile), 17 Jun 2015 @ 6:59pm

What am I missing?
Aside from the obvious - destroying evidence of their own thuggery - what was the supposed justification for vandalizing the video equipment? I mean, they must have had SOME legal justification ready, just in case.

Absent the POLICE T-shirts, this looks like a film of a home invasion.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Padpaw (profile), 17 Jun 2015 @ 7:03pm

the city the state and even the government supports police acting like this.

What are law abiding citizens supposed to do, to deal with criminals like this when their actions are supported by the law system in place.

The only thing I can think of is to take the law into their own hands as these dirty cops are exempt from the law under the current police state.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2015 @ 7:24pm

Training Day
Looks like some of the PD watched the movie over the weekend and thought "Darn, we must do something like that!"
They are looking for the DVR ("Did you find the DVR?" 2nd video) to turn it off, they destroy cameras. Why would you do something like this if you thought that what you are doing is legal?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2015 @ 7:31pm

Re: What am I missing?
Like you said, they had Police t-shirts. That seems to be all the justification needed and the free high of course ; )
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2015 @ 7:55pm

Are the guys with masks cops or the terrorists?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2015 @ 8:02pm

Re: ... Not because it didn't win a lottery ticket...
I think the worst that can be said is a lot worse.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
That One Guy (profile), 17 Jun 2015 @ 8:08pm

Re:
C) Both of the above.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2015 @ 8:10pm

Re: What am I missing?
You can get them shirts 25 fit $100
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2015 @ 8:11pm

Re: What am I missing?
You can get them shirts 25 fit $100. But it's better than the tsa. Them card tables they use are only $2.50 each
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 17 Jun 2015 @ 10:52pm

Re: Clear and Present Danger
This is America, remember? Had the cop injured himself for his tomfoolery, he would have been given full rights to sue the establishment for damages AND obstruction of justice. Or something.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
David, 17 Jun 2015 @ 11:09pm

Re:
They are cops and represent the local organized crime.

The shop owners did not take out a license in a scheme that has already been ruled illegal by courts.

There is not much you can do except to dismiss, arrest, replace and prosecute the entire law enforcement of the county there, including district attorneys.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
David, 18 Jun 2015 @ 12:47am

Re: When will they ever learn?
While the local DA might not want to discipline these thugs, the stores insurance company might go to town on them.

There is no insurance against legally acting law enforcement. First you have to prove that they have been acting illegally, and that requires a criminal conviction. Which in turn requires the local DA.

The insurance company has no interest to get involved here. You'd have to get the feds involved for shutting down the whole law enforcement racket before you'd be able to get things moving here, and as opposed to civil asset forfeitures, there is no money in it for the feds so they are hard to interest in stopping the racket.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 6:15am

Poor journalism.
"This is the charade of drug enforcement: cops raiding a dispensary for code violations, rather than its potential ability to diminish the safety of other Santa Ana residents"

In Paterson this past weekend, over 80 people were arrested for attempting to buy drugs. Police quietly took over a known drug house, arrested the dealers, then posed as dealers and arrested people ranging in ages from 30 to 73 (!).

That's not a charade. Your unbalanced writing allows people to dismiss you easily, and I'm certain that's not your intent. Ratchet down the hyperbole, the pusillanimous outrage, and maybe you'll be speaking to more than just the choir.

-C
[ link to this | view in thread ]
John Fenderson (profile), 18 Jun 2015 @ 6:28am

Re: Poor journalism.
I don't understand your point. In what sense is it not a charade? Your Paterson anecdote is another charade of a similar type. You appear to be validating the rhetoric, not refuting it.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 6:37am

The police department has responded to the recording that got away with nonsensical claims that the released footage is "non-chronological" and "edited."

So, assuming it is "non-chronological" and "edited," where in their standard operating procedure does it allow for these assholes to play darts, and eat consumables while on duty?

This is the problem I have with EVERY PR release they make where they say emphatically "the video isn't telling the whole story..."

When the fuck did this nonsense become SOP?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 7:33am

I hope these keystone cops are fired! and none of this paid leave shit...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 7:44am

Re: Poor journalism.
the cops were acting like its some big drug bust... sounds like a charade to me.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 9:01am

Re:
when police started being treated as above the law and exempt from being prosecuted for the most part
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Reality bites, 18 Jun 2015 @ 10:21am

"Treason for Profit" feral traitors need speedy trial
Since only a psychopathic feral traitor wage war on fellow citizens, they need their speedy trial and execution.

Start at the top and work to the bottom of the feral pig cesspool. Psychopaths can't be fixed, they can only be cleansed from the gene pool.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Reality bites, 18 Jun 2015 @ 10:23am

Firing Squad is what they deserve, right after a speedy trial.
Can't fix traitors you can only cleanse them from the gene pool.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Uriel-238 (profile), 18 Jun 2015 @ 11:10am

Okay, suppose for a moment that instead of guys with badges, we saw Mob bruisers in fedoras with baseball bats...
Then this would look a lot closer to what we expect a protection racket raid to look like.

It's just in this case, the mob is sponsored by the state.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
That One Guy (profile), 18 Jun 2015 @ 12:13pm

'Look, a distraction!'
Yeah, that's... not how it works.

If I punch a random stranger one day, and give a homeless guy some money another day, those two acts don't balance out. The act of charity does not stop my punching the random person from being any less wrong, and some cops not acting like rabid animals and/or idiots on a power trip does not excuse the ones who did act that way.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
GEMont, 18 Jun 2015 @ 12:58pm

Fascism 101 - death throes of a city
" The entire incident is pathetic, bordering on nauseating: a pointless, vulgar display of power that wreaked havoc on a local business simply in order to issue two citations. "

Minor correction here.

" The entire incident is pathetic, bordering on nauseating: a pointless, vulgar display of power that wreaked havoc on a local business simply in order to send a warning message to all such legal businesses, that the Police disagree with the law and will be taking the law into their own hands in future, so get out of town now before we kill you and your customers. "

The two citations were purely for paperwork sake, to try and make the assault and vandalism that makes up such a "shot across the bow" warning message, appear to be real police work and of course, to "rationalize" the expenses for the Raid that the tax-payers will cover.

None of the police officers who participated in this violent act of vandalism will be reprimanded for their crimes, as the assault was approved of and conceived at the highest levels of that city's government and very likely included a federal "go ahead".

In fact, the assault may have simply been the standard forerunner of a very old criminal enterprise - the protection racket. The next Police visit to the clinic would have been to pick up the monthly "insurance" payment that would prevent future assaults.

In a police state, career criminals are business partners, free-lance crooks are the competition, honest citizens are the victims and the law is the means of legal exploitation.

A Cannabis Clinic represents a huge loss to the lawyers, doctors, judges, CEOs and politicians, who have invested large sums of money in the lucrative businesses of production, distribution and sales of illegal cannabis, and the police, in a police state, work for these wealthy investors and thus need to help protect their interests.

---
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous, 18 Jun 2015 @ 1:37pm

Re: When will they ever learn?
A citation is even less than a misdemeanor. It's is legally equivalent to a traffic ticket.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Uriel-238 (profile), 18 Jun 2015 @ 2:01pm

Re: Re: When will they ever learn?
This harkens to the SWAT raid of a barbershop cutting hair without a license.

Since then declared unconstitutional.

I'm feeling lazy:

http://www.inquisitr.com/1483114/swat-raid-florida-barbershop/
[ link to this | view in thread ]
nasch (profile), 18 Jun 2015 @ 4:33pm

Re:
Is it just me that thinks at least part of this is extremely easy to solve? All police now have mandatory drug test, anyone positive for weed is fired on the spot.

If cops on weed were the root or main problem, yes, but it isn't.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
nasch (profile), 18 Jun 2015 @ 4:35pm

Re: Training Day
Looks like some of the PD watched the movie over the weekend and thought "Darn, we must do something like that!"

They skipped the part about shooting each other though...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 4:46pm

Re: Re: Clear and Present Danger
And retire on a cushy disability pension funded by taxpayers.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 4:50pm

Re: Re:
You don't prosecute demigods.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
beltorak (profile), 18 Jun 2015 @ 4:50pm

Re: Re:
I think Machin Shin is trying to say that since weed is illegal, presumably honest cops won't have ingested any, and the cops at the raid ate some brownies, and presumably those brownies had pot in them.... ergo the cops that pop positive are the ones involved in the raid.

I don't agree with the assertion that those were pot brownies tho.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 7:38pm

My dad grew up under Ceausescu's Romania. He taught me that the cops are just another gang, albeit one with the support of the state behind it, but still just another gang.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 19 Jun 2015 @ 10:09am

Seems like somebody didnt want to pay for their "protection" services
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Satans' Chump, 20 Jun 2015 @ 1:21pm

Armageddon is the only cure.
My mothers' first husband died in the arms of my father in Corregidor at the start of WWII and he survived the Bataan Death March with shrapnel in his leg and 3 1/2 years of POW internment in Japan, with 50,000 Americans and 20,000 Filipinos; just so neo-fascist baby boomers and millennials like 'THESE FASCIST PUNKS' could vote in slavery, torture payola, mass murder, war profiteering, racism, militarized police brutality, and politicians whose only talent is to venomously vent insults at real Americans. WWII was fought for nothing. Neo-Fascism is alive and growing in Amerika. ‘Drop Off The Earth FASCIST!’ ... Armageddon is the only cure.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2015 @ 8:52pm

Re: Re: Re: Clear and Present Danger
And prescribed some weed to help with his pain...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Peter, 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:30pm

Police doing some good old fashioned "protecting and serving" as always!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Brian Richard Allen (profile), 30 Jun 2015 @ 9:41pm

Cops raid "medical" marijuana joint
Starts with the besquatter and bemanurer and bovver-booted bully boys at the 1600 Pennsylvania public housing projects and oozes on up.

"When you have made evil the means of survival, do not expect men to remain good." Ayn Rand
[ link to this | view in thread ]
CMorin, 25 Jul 2015 @ 9:49am

Why we in America put up day after week after month after year (after decade) w/ this overtly fascist, authoritarian, autocratic tyranny is... well, i wish i could say it's a mystery.

Really it's because we're broken, whipped, kept, domesticated slaves of, and to, a system that is constructed in such a way that we all generate the wealth so that it can be hijacked and embezzled by the tiny ultra-wealthy group of @#%&ing "investment bankers" who own over 80% of the nation's wealth, while the bottom 40% (~150 million) Americans own ~0.3% of the wealth. A disparity many times larger than even the most savagely kleptocratic banana republic.

We live in an authoritarian, plutocratic, autocratic, lawless & illegitimate, kleptomaniac, militaristic & warlike, corporatist fascist police state oligarchy. We're more Communist than the nomenklatura, do things daily that would make the SS blush (read: strip search infants checking their diapers for dirty bombs, & no, not that kind 😒💩), we're less tolerant of certain groups of people than the Khmer Rouge, & more dysfunctional than the British Parliament.

All this because Americans are house trained, cowardly, neutered little wusses that routinely take it in the bunghole & are brainwashed to *demand* more, worse treatment every single time.

God save this country: Land of the Coward, Home of the Slave; because its own people obviously won't...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 8 Jul 2016 @ 12:50pm

Re: Re: Clear and Present Danger
and the establishment and the person on the wheelchair would have faced criminal charges for assaulting a police officer ...
[ link to this | view in thread ]