Pubdate: Fri, 20 Jun 2014
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Copyright: 2014 The Oklahoma Publishing Co.
Contact: http://www.newsok.com/voices/guidelines
Website: http://newsok.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318
Author: Amanda Bland
Page: 11A
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/props.htm (Ballot Initiatives)

GROUP SAYS POLICE ARE HAMPERING PETITION

TULSA - Supporters of an initiative petition to put a medical 
marijuana state question to a November vote said Thursday they are 
experiencing increased interference from authorities statewide.

The Tulsa World reported Tuesday allegations by Chip Paul, chairman 
of Oklahomans for Health, that Tulsa police disrupted 
petition-circulation efforts at locations that were predisclosed 
online four times last week.

Thursday, Oklahomans for Health said the disruptions have become more 
frequent and widespread, with law enforcement officers reportedly 
harassing volunteers in three other cities - Oklahoma City, Broken 
Arrow and Norman - on Wednesday.

"What started in Tulsa last week appears to now be spreading 
statewide," Paul said Thursday. "Our petition sites are being 
approached by law enforcement on some pretext. The officers always 
seem to state that we need a permit to be there; then they proceed to 
ask us to move."

A video the group distributed Tuesday ends with a Tulsa police 
officer telling volunteers gathering signatures at Tulsa Hills 
shopping center to "take your f------ signs down now" when a 
volunteer refuses to answer questions about his criminal history.

The officer said minutes earlier that the volunteers were "perfectly 
fine for today" after arriving at the scene to ask to see permits for 
their signs.

When the volunteer responds that they're on the public easement, the 
officer responds that the volunteers can't hold signs out by the road 
without a permit or block the sidewalk. A second officer adds that a 
folding table in the parking lot is on private property.

"I don't really have a problem with what you all are doing. ... Just 
make sure you do everything right so (unintelligible) is basically 
what we're telling you," the second officer says.

Brady Henderson, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union 
of Oklahoma, and Paul submitted letters to the Tulsa city attorney's 
office on Tuesday, requesting an internal investigation and supplying 
a proposed directive to be distributed within the Tulsa Police Department.

Leland Ashley, public information officer for the Tulsa Police 
Department, said previously that he found two records where calls 
were made to police concerning the petition circulators last week. 
Both calls alleged that marijuana was being sold.

He said police investigated the calls like any other. Police appeared 
to be on the site for about 10 minutes both times, he said.

Cpl. Leon Calhoun, of the Broken Arrow Police Department, said 
Thursday that his agency doesn't usually interfere with petitioners 
but that "it just depends on what they were doing and where they were 
doing it at."

He said he was unaware of any incidents Wednesday.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom