Pubdate: Thu, 07 Oct 2010
Source: Mail Tribune, The (Medford, OR)
Copyright: 2010 The Mail Tribune
Contact:  http://www.mailtribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/642
Note: Only prints LTEs from within it's circulation area, 200 word count limit
Author: Anita Burke
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?276 (Measure 74)

POLICE WERE TOO POLITICAL ON POT, COMPLAINT SAYS

Marijuana Advocate Cites Rules on Political Activity

A Williams marijuana-reform advocate has filed a complaint alleging 
that Medford police officials violated state law restricting public 
employees' political activity while at work.

Laird Funk filed a complaint against Medford police Chief Randy 
Schoen, Deputy Chief Tim George and Lt. Tim Doney on Monday, the day 
the three were quoted in a Mail Tribune story on law enforcement 
concerns about a ballot measure that would establish medical 
marijuana dispensaries in the state.

The complaint is about a possible violation of a state law that 
prohibits public employees from soliciting "money, influence, service 
or other thing of value" or otherwise promoting or opposing 
candidates and measures during working hours, state officials said. 
The civil case has been assigned to an investigator, the Secretary of 
State's Office reported.

Schoen said that Funk has been a vocal critic of police and their 
stance on marijuana, so he wasn't surprised by the complaint.

"I stand by everything I said," Schoen said. "We didn't say 'don't 
vote for this measure.' We said these are our concerns and some of 
the issues we see."

He maintains that police, who respond to calls about problems from 
growers, patients and neighbors and would be tasked with protecting 
dispensaries, have insight into how the medical marijuana law is 
working now and what changes might mean on the street.

Schoen said state law provides Funk with a mechanism to report his 
concerns about police statements, and he respected that process. 
Schoen also said that he and his fellow officers were within their 
rights to provide information to the public and Funk should respect that.

Funk didn't return a call from the Mail Tribune on Wednesday.

On Monday, he also filed a complaint alleging Mark Mills violated the 
same ban on public workers' political activity. Although details of 
that complaint weren't immediately available from the state, 
Deschutes County Sheriff's Capt. Mark Mills also has talked about law 
enforcement concerns about Measure 74, as reported in The Bulletin in Bend.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake