Pubdate: Sun, 07 Feb 2016
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Cassidy Olivier
Page: 3

POLICE UNION RAISES POT SHOP WORRIES

Members Concerned About Criminal Ties, Transparency As Vancouver 
Pushes to License Dispensaries

The union representing Vancouver's police officers says members are 
raising serious questions about the process and transparency behind 
the city's rapid push to license marijuana dispensaries by this spring.

At a union meeting last week, Tom Stamatakis, the president of the 
Vancouver Police Union, said members identified several areas of 
concern with the city's controversial move to regulate the 
dispensaries - including who is involved, the degree of scrutiny 
being applied to applications, and issues of disclosure.

Also raised as a concern, said Stamatakis, was the general confusion 
that exists between the current federal legislation, which views 
dispensaries as illegal, and the approach city council is taking toward them.

"It's just a general concern that creates a lot of confusion and 
conflict with a lot of members as they are trying to keep citizens 
safe in our community," said Stamatakis.

"There is (also) a huge concern around ensuring that we don't have 
people who are involved in criminal activity or organized criminal 
activity involved in the establishment or the operation of licensed 
marijuana dispensaries."

The city expects to offer decisions on 14 development permit 
applications for pot dispensaries by the end of the month, according 
to a recent information bulletin sent out by the city. One of those 
applicants is the EVO Medi Society, whose director is listed as Rocco 
Dipopolo, a former Hells Angels prospect.

In a recent interview with the Globe and Mail, Dipopolo, who does not 
have a criminal record, said he turned away from that lifestyle a 
long time ago and is now a businessman. He also owns a gym, boxing 
clinic and tattoo parlour, according to the newspaper.

However, one of his staff members, Patrick Bluejacket, is listed in 
organized crime files as having an association with the Independent 
Soldiers, a police source told the Sunday Province.

Bluejacket, who does not have a criminal record, is listed as 
providing EVO with "consulting services" and counter support.

As part of the development permit application process, criminal 
record checks are not required.

However, should any of the 14 applicants make it through, they will 
then have to apply for a business licences, which requires submission 
of an up-to-date criminal record check from each applicant and their staff.

One of the other points Stamatakis said union members found troubling 
was the redaction of the names of some of the other applicants in the 
operational letters posted on the city's website.

"That was one of the issues that was brought up: the inconsistency 
around how the information is being publicized," he said.

"And you know, why are some names included and others not? Given the 
nature of the activity and what is being proposed, it just seems like 
what happens in most other areas, it should be more transparent."

In an emailed response to this question, the City of Vancouver said 
that personal information that is not already publicly available is 
"automatically redacted before the city makes these records public."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom