SHERIFF DISCUSSES POLICIES

To the Editor:

On two recent occasions, a local writer has written to express her
extreme displeasure with this year's marijuana eradication efforts.

The Sheriff's Office focuses its eradication efforts on commercial
marijuana operations. We do not target legitimate medical marijuana
patients or their caregivers. Commercial growers damage our
environment. They contaminate our soils. They steal our water. They
kill our wildlife and sometimes our livestock. They trespass on
private property and threaten law abiding citizens who seek to enjoy
our public lands. Many of these commercial growers have moved here
specifically to grow and sell marijuana. They are a drain on our
natural resources and our criminal justice resources, yet they pay no
taxes on their illegal profits. They have contributed to a false
economy within our county. Perhaps worst of all, they have mocked our
laws and the well-intentioned public opinion that supports legitimate,
medical marijuana.

As readers of this newspaper are aware, this year my office has been
extremely successful in eradicating commercial marijuana operations
and arresting those persons involved. This is due in no small part to
the increased vigilance of our citizens. No matter where they stand on
the medical marijuana debate, people are disgusted with the abuses we
are seeing throughout our county.

While eradication of illegal marijuana has been the focus of this
letter, I want to assure readers that the investigation of violent
crime will always be my top priority. Too often marijuana (legal or
otherwise) and violence come together. Recently our office arrested
eight Sacramento area young people who drove to Mendocino County for
the sole purpose of stealing marijuana. All eight were arrested within
an hour of the crime. Investigation into a series of violent marijuana
robberies on the Coast has resulted in the arrest of more
out-of-county criminals. The citizens of Mendocino County can be proud
of the work our detectives put into these cases.

As to the letters writer's opinion that the Sheriff's Office focuses
on eradicating legitimate medical marijuana, this claim is simply not
true. Our deputies have walked into dozens of marijuana gardens this
year, determined that the cultivation is legitimate and walked out
without eradicating a single plant. These stories have not been
publicized because the grower was in compliance. These "compliance
checks" have greatly improved the trust and cooperation between law
enforcement and legitimate medical marijuana patients.

As the 2008 outdoor marijuana season comes to a close, the Sheriff's
Office will review our policy, strategy and effectiveness. Any citizen
who would like to have input into our activities is encouraged to
contact me directly. My contact information is listed below.

I want to reinforce that our goal is to respect legitimate medical
marijuana and actively pursue those who are growing outside the
boundaries of the law. Our enforcement against illegal growers will
continue. I appreciate the support of all who have the desire to
improve public safety in Mendocino County.

Tom Allman

Sheriff

Mendocino County