Pubdate: Fri, 12 Jun 2015
Source: Orange County Register, The (CA)
Copyright: 2015 The Orange County Register
Contact:  http://www.ocregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/321

SANTA ANA POLICE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATE OFFICERS' ACTIONS IN POT SHOP RAID

SANTA ANA - The Santa Ana Police Department has launched an internal 
affairs investigation into the actions of several officers caught on 
video during a recent raid at a medical marijuana dispensary.

Clips from the May 26 raid at Sky High Collective that purport to 
show officers dismantling surveillance cameras, making derogatory 
remarks about an amputee, eating and playing darts are "concerning," 
Santa Ana police Cmdr. Chris Revere said Thursday.

"We expect our officers to act in a certain way," said Revere, who is 
in charge of the department's internal affair division. "If they 
don't we hold them accountable. But at the same time we have to be fair."

Attorney Matthew Pappas, who represents Sky High Collective, provided 
the edited clips to the Register and other media outlets Wednesday. 
He could not be reached Thursday for comment.

(Editor's note: This video was edited, and the wording that appears 
mounted on some of the screen images is from a source other than The 
Orange County Register or the Santa Ana Police Department. The 
profanity that appears on one of the video frames was not placed 
there by the Register or the Santa Ana Police Department).

Santa Ana Police also have attempted to reach Pappas for an unedited 
version of the video clips, Revere said.

"Having the whole video shortens the investigation process because we 
get a complete picture," he added.

In one of the clips, armed Santa Ana officers can be seen breaking 
through the front door of the 17th Street dispensary and then 
ordering at least a half-dozen customers to the floor.

"Everybody on the ground!" one officer shouts. "Hands on your head!"

Another clip with subtitles purports to show officers making 
demeaning remarks about a woman in a wheelchair with an amputated 
left leg who was in the dispensary at the time of the raid.

"Did you punch that one-legged old Benita," a male officer asks a 
female officer, apparently referring to the woman in the wheelchair.

"I was about to kick her in her (expletive) nub," the female officer 
replies, according to the subtitles accompaning the video clip.

In another clip, Pappas has titled with superimposed wording: 
"Officers eating edibles and playing darts," a voice can be heard 
asking, "What flavor?" Then an officer can be seen unwrapping a small 
package and putting something in his mouth.

The same clip shows an officer playing darts inside the dispensary 
while another clip shows several other officers removing surveillance cameras.

It's possible the officers were removing the cameras as part of the 
collection of evidence in connection with a search warrant for the 
dispensary, Revere said.

None of the officers involved in the raid have been placed on 
administrative leave, he added.

The internal affairs investigation could take several weeks and will 
involve reviewing the videos and interviewing the officers and those 
present at the dispensary when the raid took place. A final report 
will be delivered to Santa Ana Police Chief Carlos Rojas, who will 
determine if the officers violated department policies, Revere said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom