Fullerton PD Shares Recent Police Activities

In what I think is a concerted effort by the Fullerton Police Department to share information, here are three recent FPD stories you may not have heard.  The first two are from FPD Press Releases while the third is an update from Acting Chief Dan Hughes.

On a side note, I have been criticized for my support of the Fullerton Police Department's efforts to rid the City of graffiti.  It seems some believe that tagging and vandalism are minor crimes not worthy of policing.  What many are forgetting is that this effort to to gain the upper hand on taggers is was initiated by the residents of West Fullerton.  They insisted that the FPD take these costly crimes seriously which they have.  I appreciate city leaders who listen to and respond to the residents.  Acting Chief Dan Hughes is doing everything he can to put uniforms on Fullerton's streets including placing himself on patrol in an effort to give residents the level of service they are demanding.  Until someone can prove otherwise, I believe the effort is genuine and commendable, especially considering the current state of the Police Department left in the wake of the invisible Chief Sellers and a culture of corruption reminiscent of LAPD's Rampart scandal courtesy of retired FPD chief turned council member, Pat McKinley.

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Subject: Police find marijuana plants in home where put bull attacked 2-year-old

Contact: Sgt. Andrew Goodrich, Fullerton Police Department    (714) 738-6838

Police and paramedics responded to a residence in the 2500 block of Larkwood last night (Dec 26) regarding a pit bull who had bitten a 2-year-old child at a home.

Fullerton Police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said that the mother ran to a nearby neighbor with her 2 year old son and asked the neighbor to call the paramedics. Fullerton Fire responded, treated the toddler, and transported him to an area trauma center. While at the hospital, the victim was treated for a 7” laceration on his head.

The mother was house sitting for a friend, and does not live at the residence. She stepped outside the room for a moment, and then heard growling and a scream from her child. When she ran back into the room, she saw the dog standing over her child, and the child bleeding from the head.

Animal Control responded and took custody of the dog, a pit bull terrier. While searching the house for the dog, officers found a significant quantity of marijuana growing and being processed inside. The homeowner was contacted, and no arrests have been made.

Detectives are investigating both the marijuana cultivation and the possible child endangerment.

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Subject: Police arrest man in interrupted burglary case after pursuit
Contact: Sgt. Andrew Goodrich, Fullerton Police Department    (714) 738-6838

Police arrested a man for residential burglary today (Dec 27) after a vehicle pursuit that started in Fullerton and ended in La Mirada. Two suspects are still outstanding.

Fullerton Police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said that at about 12:30pm, a 12-year-old home alone called the police after three suspects entered his house, thinking no one was home. The suspects first knocked on the door, and the 12-year-old didn’t respond because he didn’t know the people. When it appeared no one was home, the suspects went into the back yard, and entered from the rear.

With the 12-year-old still on the line with dispatchers, officers responded with lights and sirens to the residence. The suspects fled in their car just as officers arrived.

Officers began chasing the suspects, who collided with a car at the intersection of Gilbert and Malvern. The suspects continued westbound on Malvern, eventually crashing into a fire hydrant in La Mirada, near

La Mirada Blvd.

and Imperial Hwy. Officers’ set-up a perimeter to search for the suspects, and eventually located Deon William Oden, 23, from Los Angeles. Oden was booked at the Fullerton Jail for burglary, felony evading, felony hit & run, and other charges.

“This method of residential burglary, sometimes referred to as “knock-knock bandits”, is becoming more common. We want to remind residents that depending upon the situation, advising someone who is at your door that you are home without opening the door is something people should consider”, said Fullerton Police Captain Dan Hughes.

The two other suspects are still outstanding. They are described as a black female in her 30s, and the other is a black male.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Detective Michael Hines at (714) 773-5765, or the front desk of the Fullerton Police Department at (714) 738-6716.

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Last week FPD arrested Eric Avina, 19 yr old from Fullerton, for possession of vandalism implements. Avina is on probation and has been identified as “REKS” of the LFL tagging crew.  “REKS” has been very active on the west side of town and FPD is working with his probation officer in an effort to obtain a significant jail sentence for a violation of his probation.  A juvenile with the moniker of “RATE” or “RATER” was also arrested last week for vandalism, possession of vandalism tools, and possession of stolen property. Detective Bolden observed the juvenile placing “slappies” on several signs and the suspect was in possession of more than 20 U.S. Postal mail stickers that were going to be placed on various properties.

"I believe we are making some significant progress with this tagging crew," said Acting Chief Dan Hughes. "We are committed to relentlessly pursuing these individuals until their behavior stops."

CBS News Medical Marijuan

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Bill Hunt Vindicated by Attorney General Report

Without a doubt, Jaramillo and Carona threw Hunt under the bus...or at least tried.

 

After 5 long years and leaks of what appeared to be damning allocations against Bill Hunt, the Attorney General's report has been released (or at least leaked in its entirety). Unfortunately, the OCSD under Hutchens nor the AG 's office would do it. It took the courage of Friends For Fullerton's Future, Travis Kiger, to have the guts to share this with the voters and tax payers of Orange County.  R. Scott Moxley at OC Weekly re-reports on it and tells us a little more about his own investigative work.
First let's note the purpose of the report: to conduct an inquiry and evaluation of the investigation; identify areas for policy development that could lessen the possibility of a reoccurrence. 

Bill Hunt On Marijuana and States' Rights

March 1, Friends For Fullerton's Future's Travis Kiger, Fullerton businessman Larry Lazar and myself sat down with Bill Hunt, 2010 candidate for Orange County Sheriff. The roundtable discussion was an opportunity to ask some important questions that we think are on the minds of voters. No topic was off-limits.


We will share with you what Hunt had to say about Marijuana, concealed weapon permits (CCW), citizen oversight, DUI checkpoints, illegal immigration, Sandra Hutchens, Craig Hunter, emerging technology, OC political insiders, controversial endorsement by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, OC jail reform, and dealing with federal agencies.

The lengthy discussion yielded too much information for us to share with you all at once, so we will be breaking it down into topics of interest. For that matter, we will not be spelling out every single word said only because this series of posts would soon turn into a full-length novel.

First Impressions
To my surprise, Bill Hunt arrived by himself with no handlers or henchmen. As our discussion progressed, it was clear why he came alone. Bill Hunt told us that he does not need anyone reminding him of where he stands on any issue. In fact, he didn’t lay out his talking points or any of the shenanigans that you might expect a typical politician to do. Hunt is an energetic man who has spent a tremendous amount of time and thought on the development of his platform and studying what lays ahead for his political race and the Sheriff’s Department. He is well-read and seems to possess new perspectives and insight on old problems. Bill Hunt clearly has an in depth knowledge of the crisis that faces the Sheriff’s Department and jail system. He presented some out-of-the-box innovations, leaving us with the hope that he would serve the People well.

Bill Hunt on Marijuana
No, the South County candidate for sheriff isn’t ON marijuana but we did ask him about the subject. Bill made it clear that he isn’t in favor of legalizing pot but that he respects the will of the people.

GS: “If you are elected sheriff and the DEA came into OC and asked OCSD to help shut down medical marijuana dispensaries, would you oblige them with support?”

BH: “No. I would prevent them, it’s unconstitutional! I’m not an advocate for legalizing marijuana but on the other hand the sheriff is elected to enforce state laws. So, if I’m elected sheriff to this county enforcing state law and I’m using federal law to circumvent state law, then I’m not really being true to my office and my oath of office. The sheriff can prevent the feds from coming in and doing that.”

Hunt goes on to say, “Medical marijuana is legal within certain parameters, just like alcohol is. If a kid is drinking alcohol or if you’re drunk driving, it’s a violation of law and we’ll enforce it. The same thing with people who extend beyond the legal limits of medical marijuana, we’ll enforce that. But we [law enforcement] can’t be taking a vendetta just because the general consensus in law enforcement is they [law enforcement officers] don’t like it. The public has already ruled. Now, I think it’s a zoning problem, a business problem, not a law enforcement problem. The cities need to get together and regulate it just like they tattoo shops and bars just like their CUP’s [conditional use permits] provide. It’s a regulatory issue, I think, right now more than law enforcement.”

(This story has also been released here by FFFF. Special thanks to Travis Kiger, Tony Bushala, and Bill Hunt for arranging the meeting.)

Teen Pot Use Linked To Psychoses

(from CBS News)

Australian Researchers Have Identified A Possible Link Between Long-Term Marijuana Use And Psychoses in Young People

(CBS) An Australian study of nearly 4,000 young people has found a possible link between long-term marijuana use and increased risk of hallucinations, delusions and other psychoses.


In the study, whose findings were released Monday, March 1, 2010, and published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers at the University of Queensland followed 3,801 people born in Brisbane between 1981 and 1984.

About 17.7 percent reported using cannabis for three or fewer years, 16.2 percent for four to five years and 14.3 percent for six or more years.

Those who had six or more years of use were twice as likely as those who never used cannabis to develop a psychosis, such as schizophrenia, and four times as likely to get high scores in clinical tests of delusion.

Of the 1,272 subjects who had never used marijuana, 26 (2 percent) were diagnosed with psychosis. Of the 322 who had used it for six years or more, 12 (3.7 percent) were diagnosed with the illness.

The authors point out that further study is needed as their research did not take into account such factors as family history and a predisosition to psychosis before marijuana use began.

For more details see The Archives of General Psychiatry.
 
 

 

Taxpayer-Subsidized Dope

Think I’m kidding? Think again. Proposition 215 created an exemption for the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Here is the text of what we voted on:

"Proposition 215

This initiative measure is submitted to the people in accordance with the provisions of Article II, Section 8 of the Constitution.

This initiative measure adds a section to the Health and Safety Code; therefore, new provisions proposed to be added are printed in italic type to indicate that they are new.
PROPOSED LAW
SECTION 1. Section 11362.5 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:
11362.5. (a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the Compassionate Use Act of 1996.
(b)(1) The people of the State of California hereby find and declare that the purposes of the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 are as follows:
(A) To ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes where that medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician who has determined that the person's health would benefit from the use of marijuana in the treatment of cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief.
(B) To ensure that patients and their primary caregivers who obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes upon the recommendation of a physician are not subject to criminal prosecution or sanction.
(C) To encourage the federal and state governments to implement a plan to provide for the safe and affordable distribution of marijuana to all patients in medical need of marijuana.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede legislation prohibiting persons from engaging in conduct that endangers others, nor to condone the diversion of marijuana for nonmedical purposes.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no physician in this state shall be punished, or denied any right or privilege, for having recommended marijuana to a patient for medical purposes.
(d) Section 11357, relating to the possession of marijuana, and Section 11358, relating to the cultivation of marijuana, shall not apply to a patient, or to a patient's primary caregiver, who possesses or cultivates marijuana for the personal medical purposes of the patient upon the written or oral recommendation or approval of a physician.
(e) For the purposes of this section, ''primary caregiver" means the individual designated by the person exempted under this section who has consistently assumed responsibility for the housing, health, or safety of that person.
SEC. 2. If any provision of this measure or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the measure that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this measure are severable."

There are really only two sections which are affirmative. First, Section 1(b)(2)(c) exempts physicians from prosecution or other sanctions for recommending marijuana to a patient for medical purposes. The second important section is Section 1(b)(2)(d) which exempts those who possess marijuana for medical purposes of the patient who “possesses or cultivates marijuana for the personal medical purposes of the patient upon the written or oral recommendation or approval of a physician.” (Emphasis added)

So anyone with any illness which might be relieved by the use of marijuana can grow, purchase, and use marijuana without fear of prosecution. I like the idea that a cancer patient or other sick person might find comfort through the use of any drug but I’m not so sure that ANY ILLNESS as the law notes is a good basis. All teens go through a period of anxiety while going through puberty. Since anxiety is suppressed with marijuana does that mean teens should all smoke a little dope to mellow out? I know a few parents who would gladly give their kids marijuana if it would make a positive difference. The problems, though, are many and using marijuana to cope with life situations is the same as getting drunk to deal with troubles at work. It is the same as using amphetamines to stay awake when your body needs to rest.  Of course we can trivialize marijuana use with graphics like these:

Aside from the obvious abuse of marijuana as a “medical necessity” we need to consider the impact of socialized healthcare, the use of this powerful drug, and who will pay for it all. Will our new and improved government provided medical care cover costs associated with marijuana? Imagine paying a special income tax to specifically cover marijuana for anyone with any illness…

Here is an excellent read on the violence behind legalized marijuan.