Pubdate: Fri, 18 Sep 2015
Source: Prince George Citizen (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Prince George Citizen
Contact:  http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/350
Author: Laura Kane
Page: 7

VANCOUVER POLICE DISMISS CRITICISM OVER POT DISPENSARIES

VANCOUVER - Vancouver's police board has unanimously rejected a 
prominent advocate's complaint that the city's police department was 
failing to enforce the law against marijuana dispensaries.

Pamela McColl of the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana Canada had 
accused the department of not doing its duty "to maintain law and 
order" by not shutting down all pot shops in the city.

But deputy chief Doug LePard delivered a report to the board Thursday 
that stated criminal laws are less effective than municipal bylaws at 
closing illegal businesses.

The VPD must respect the City of Vancouver's decision not to use its 
bylaw powers to shut down dispensaries and instead create a 
regulatory framework, he said.

"We don't operate in a vacuum. We have to consider the circumstances 
that we operate in," LePard told the board.

"We have the greatest of respect for policy decisions that the 
democratically elected council has decided on, and we will work in 
that environment."

The police board, chaired by Mayor Gregor Robertson, voted 
unanimously to dismiss McColl's complaint after less than 10 minutes 
of discussion.

The city recently became the first in Canada to regulate its 100 
marijuana dispensaries, requiring owners to undergo criminal record 
checks and pay a $30,000 licence fee.

LePard said police held discussions with the city about how to deal 
with the proliferation of dispensaries in 2013, when there were 27 pot shops.

The city decided not to use its bylaws to shut down the stores - most 
of which were operating without a business licence - and instead work 
on setting up a regulatory framework, he said.

LePard said the VPD must use its limited resources to deal with more 
serious drug offences and dispensaries that are suspected of selling 
to youth or involved with organized crime.

Police have executed 11 search warrants at pot shops and recommended 
multiple charges since 2013.

But LePard noted these actions have been generally unsuccessful at 
closing the dispensaries. Some stores re-opened shortly after raids, 
and search warrants were executed three times at one location.

He said he's hopeful the new regulations will be effective, as they 
will allow the city to take action against dispensaries that don't 
meet its criteria, including being located too close to schools.

Selling marijuana over the counter is illegal in Canada, and last 
week Health Canada sent cease-and-desist letters to 13 pot stores 
warning of RCMP raids if they don't close.

Chief Adam Palmer said he had spoken to RCMP about the letters. He 
said Mounties have legal authority anywhere in Canada, but in 
practice they don't interfere with local police.

"I don't believe in any sense of the word you're going to see the 
RCMP come marching into Vancouver," he said outside the meeting.

"Vancouver police will deal with Vancouver issues and the RCMP will 
deal with the issues in their territory."

City staff are processing 176 licensing applications for marijuana 
dispensaries. Robertson said outside the meeting that it could be 
months before it's clear how many will be approved.

"I'm sure it'll be a much lower number than the number that have 
applied," he said.

McColl said she was disappointed but not surprised by the police 
board's decision. She said she doesn't believe the new regulations 
will root out dispensaries that are selling to youth or involved with 
organized crime.

"These guys are going to proliferate, they're going to sell their 
dope and they're going to do whatever they want to do because that's 
what they're all about," she said.

"They don't believe in law and order, and they have shown that."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom