This is too much. MMJ dispensary raided, smashed, employees may have been hurt

[Nuclear Unicorn]

Long Beach Police Investigate Excessive Force in Pot-Shop Raid

The two-minute-long video shows at least two officers smashing the dispensary's surveillance cameras

A raid on a marijuana dispensary in Long Beach was caught on video showing officers smashing surveillance cameras and stepping on a suspect, moves that prompted accusations against the officers of excessive force.

More than a dozen police raided THC Downtown Collective in the 300 block of Atlantic Boulevard (map) on June 19, officials said. The video was posted to YouTube by user "Long Beach Raids" on July 1. Officials said they learned about the video on July 3.

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Police said the dispensary was operating under state compliance, but did not have a city permit.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Long-Beach-Police-Pot-Marijuana-Shop-Raid-Arrests-Excessive-Force-Investigation-161366395.html

A freaking permit violation?!?!?!

I get it that it's because it's a drug normally considered illegal. I don't agree MJ should be illegal but it is the law for the most part.

But we are talking about a permit violation in something that the CA government has decriminalized through representative government. Let me spell that out: we are dealing with a P-E-R-M-I-T V-I-O-L-A-T-I-O-N. That is a bureaucratic issue, not a physical force police criminal interdiction issue.

Are we to accept now that if a roadside hotdog vendor lacks the necessary permit his business can be up-ended and smashed ala Elliot Ness?

I swear if anything will drive me into the arms of the Libertarians it is abusive, excessive, strong-arming nonsense like this.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

1. The destruction of the video cameras shows, of course, their knowledge of their wrongdoing.

Let me guess: The owners of the dispensary were not Republicans.

If they were, they would probably be immune from all police action and given de facto immunity by the DOJ.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

2. I don't know how much the GOP runs Los Angeles so this looks like it's blue-on-blue

[Bluenorthwest]

3. This is Long Beach, with their own PD, not Los Angeles....

Los Angeles is another, nearby city.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

4. Thanks for the correction. Is it still blue-on-blue or red-on-blue?

[Puzzledtraveller]

19. It doesnt appear to matter

For some reason the assault on MMJ has cranked up under the current admin, so when it comes to who better represents our interests on the subject, I'd have to concede to the libertarians, but they come with a hefty price.

[PotatoChip]

23. Isn't this an Municipal level crackdown, using permit violation(s) as just-cause

to circumvent California state law?

Not saying "the current administration" is innocent of interfering with the people's will in Medical Marijuana states, since I simply am unfamiliar with the stats on that... But, in this case, it is not clear to me if the federal government (which is what I assume you meant) had a thing to do with it. I don't think they did, but in full disclosure, I did not read the link.

[Scootaloo]

5. It also shows their lack of knoledge of how cameras work

It's like in a bad movie, where someone halts a computer program by destroying the monitor.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

8. How come

they never just unplug the silly thing?

[Downwinder]

6. Appears to be a criminal matter not a personnel matter.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

7. Lacking a city permit should not be treated this brutally.

[FiveGoodMen]

9. "if anything will drive me into the arms of the Libertarians"

The libertarians will just let a privatized police force do this to you.

What you want is the old-school liberals who actually stood for decency, liberty, and justice for all.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

10. I get what you're saying and my comment was rant-fueled hyperbole

but if a regulatory regime actually results in this sort of thuggishness then people need to seriously examine how much power should be attached to regulations. That's not an appeal to abolish regulations, it's a call to deny the state the power to treat us so brutally over paperwork.

[freshwest]

12. Corporations have their own private hit squads and don't attack people for violating regulations.

Violence is violence; thuggery is thuggery.

This may even be a privatized police force acting under contract and not regulations at all. If they are brought to account for violating rights, where do you think that accounting will take place, in real world terms?

Libertarianism does not protect against violence. Ending regulations does not end violence. Regulations and laws do not even end violence, that is in the human heart.

This was not code enforcement but an exercise in thuggery. Unless we're not getting all sides of the story.

The title of the article is not the same as the OP. It is: Long Beach Police Investigate Excessive Force in Pot-Shop Raid . Another set of regulations Libertarians want eliminated just might save the day here.

[FiveGoodMen]

16. I'm pretty sure that the violence wasn't due to regulation

The law surely doesn't read "beat those who muck up the permit process senseless"

Rather, some cops will use any excuse to act like criminals.

[Comrade Grumpy]

11. Another example of wanton and gratuitous police violence and property destruction.

This isn't a matter of bad apples; we've got a serious problem with our culture of policing in this country. These cops, and too many just like them, are little more than thugs with badges.

[DaveJ]

13. Will cops ever change their abusive ways?

We need cops, but the psychology of the people who are selected and/or decide to be cops, is totally out of wack, like many things.

I bet these same police would wet their pants if faced with real violent criminals. They are tough when presented with peaceful citizens. No matter how civil we are, there will always be police brutalizing us. They avoid real violent situations unless they are protected by distance, layer upon layer of bullet proof armor, and vastly superior weapons, like 10 guns to murder a guy with a golf club.

[NightWatcher]

14. If you've ever sought MMJ for relief from chemo drugs

you're not looking to get MMJ to party. I'm in hell right now with Phenergan only putting a dent in my nausea.

I hope those cops who went nuts in the raid, the DEA who came up with the policies, and anyone who is anti MMJ gets arrested on the street when they try to buy it for a sick relative after MMJ dispensaries get shut down. It's medicine for some of us, damnit.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

15. Over paperwork, no less.

[PotatoChip]

25. So sorry you are going through that NightWatcher.

I'm hoping that you are able to get whatever it is you need to stay as strong and comfortable as possible while fighting this battle.

I've seen far too many people dear to me suffer needlessly over the years. If there is a doctor approved relief to be had for chemo patients, then it should be legal and readily available in sufficiently prescribed quantities everywhere.

Hang in there friend. People, even anonymous 'intertube' ones like me care very much.

[bvar22]

17. What happened to the White House perogative for selective enforcement...

...that was used for Immigration a couple of weeks ago?




You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
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[BumRushDaShow]

22. These are local thug police, not feds

but anything to smear the administration is right up the 'old alley, eh?

From the article -

This is a personnel matter and we are unable to discuss any further details," Lisa Massacani, with LB police, wrote in a statement.

[bvar22]

24. Are you saying that the DEA and the Attorney General...

...do NOT promote and participate in the crack down on local Medical Marijuana Dispensaries,
and that the White House is NOT pushing this Anti-Marijuana agenda???

Since when it telling the truth a "smear"?

A few weeks ago, before the White House decision to NOT enforce the immigration laws on some undocumented immigrants,
the Party Line at DU was that "the Attorney General MUST enforce ALL the laws,
and fight EVERY single legal challenge to ANY law on the books."

I AM curious if any of the hard liners here have changed their story.

[PatSeg]

18. There have been so many stories

lately about "excessive force" by police. I wonder, are police getting worse or are we just more aware of their tactics because of video and the Internet?

[Uncle Joe]

20. A permit violation!? I wonder if these corrupted police are connected to organized crime?

I hope the owner gets his million and those police lose their badges.

Thanks for the thread, Nuclear Unicorn.

[Rex]

21. In response to another thread

what a bunch of JACKBOOTED THUGS.