San Francisco Voters Outraged at Officer's Misconduct!

For Immediate Release

Contacts: Clark Sullivan 415 424 0125 webmaster [at] hempevolution.org or Shona Gochenaur 415 240 5247 axisoflovesf [at] gmail.com

Who: Axis of Love SF, HempEvolution.org, Americans for Safe Access S.F.

What: San Francisco Voters Outraged at Officer's Misconduct!
What: Rally, march, testimony and filing of petitions concerning Lt. Martin Halloran SFPD #772

When: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 at 4:20 PM and 5PM

Where: San Francisco Hall of Justice and San Francisco City Hall

Why: For the past six years, Lt. Martin Halloran SFPD #772 has engaged in the entrapment, intimidation and harassment of San Francisco medical cannabis patients and caregivers,ignoring the orders of his superiors and going so far as to falsify police documents after arresting legitimate medical cannabis patients. Lt. Halloran has also made public statements against medical cannabis at many neighborhood group meetings. We believe his actions are in direct violation of the policy of the City and County of San Francisco which states: "that the San Francisco Police Department...[are] not to assist in the harassment, arrest or prosecution of physicians, medical cannabis dispensaries, individual patients, or their primary caregivers attempting to comply with section 11362.5 of the California Health and Safety Code".

We demand that Lt. Halloran be held accountable for his numerous offenses against San Francisco medical cannabis patients and be disciplined accordingly.

We demand that Chief Fong immediately relieve Lt. Halloran from the medical cannabis dispensary [MCD] detail, and that all SFPD officer(s) cease and desist their investigation(s), surveillance and arrest(s) of legitimate medical cannabis patients, caregivers and MCD operators.

We demand that the MCD detail be staffed by a non-Narcotics Department officer, as narcotics officers are indoctrinated by the California Narcotics Officers Association, who state on their website position paper: "There is no justification for using marijuana as a medicine." Since all SFPD Narcotics Division officers are also cross-deputized with the DEA, this creates a clear conflict of interest with state and local medical cannabis laws. We also demand that the assigned officer(s) undergo sensitivity training regarding medical cannabis.

We demand full disclosure and transparency with respect to SFPD policies regarding cross-deputization and interaction with federal agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Agency so any potential conflict-of-interest concerning medical cannabis may be avoided.

We demand the Police Commission appoint a task force to audit city/state/federal law enforcement resources directed against medical cannabis patients, caregivers and MCDs.

We demand full accountability from local law enforcement and that the SFPD implement policies modeled after the"SAFER Program" of Colorado.

We demand that the Office of Citizen Complaints reopen Stephanie Landa's complaint regarding the use of excessive force by Halloran, who allegedly threw the disabled medical cannabis patient across a room after forcing her arms behind her back despite her request to cuff her hands in front due to paralysis from an auto accident.

We demand that Ms. Landa's property, seized in 2002 in an asset forfeiture hearing, be returned forthwith, with an equitable interest rate accrued.

Furthermore, the medical community wants assurances that entry into our MCDs and inspections not be conducted by SFPD officers. We contend that the SFPD, despite official policy regarding medical cannabis, has consistently acted extra-legally against medical cannabis patients, caregivers and MCDs. We demand that all SFPD officers comply with state and local law and that any SFPD officer found to be in violation of official policies of the City and County of San Francisco and the State of California be disciplined and/or prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, so that the medical cannabis community at large can comply with section 11362.5 of the California Health and Safety Code without fear of arrest, prosecution and imprisionment by Federal authorities.