City Sets New Rules for Pot

Following the Seattle Police Department's guns-drawn, battering-ram-through-a-door raid last week on a man who was legally growing two medical-pot plants, Mayor Mike McGinn pledged today an executive review of the city's marijuana policy by the chief, the county prosecutor, a member of the city council, and himself. "The group will review existing policies and make recommendations regarding any changes,” McGinn writes to The Stranger.

In addition, as of today, Assistant Chief Jim Pugel must personally approve all search warrants for marijuana, according to McGinn's office.

"Today I asked City Attorney Pete Holmes, Seattle Police Chief John Diaz, King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg and Seattle City Councilmember Nick Licata to join me in an Executive Review of SPD’s existing policies regarding implementation of Initiative 75 and the State’s Medical Marijuana Act," McGinn says. (Last Friday he said he would make an announcement.) McGinn continues, "The group may also reach out to experts, stakeholders and community members to solicit input."

All of the invited officials have agreed to join the new review board.

The circumstances that "led to police officers invading someone's house shouldn't be repeated," says Licata, who last week apologized to Will Laudanski, 50, on behalf of the city. He says the city procedures that police followed are either "too slack or wrong."

McGinn's office says they have examined pot enforcement before, but this review will specifically examine enforcement under I-75, which makes marijuana the police department's lowest law-enforcement priority, and state medical marijuana rules, which permit a person under a physician's care to cultivate up to 15 plants.

Licata calls the executive review the "part of the discussion that needs to happen."

Chief Diaz's decision to require Pugel to approve all pot search warrants is a logical first step. In the case of last week's raid, a relatively low-level narcotics detective had applied for the warrant to raid Laudanski's apartment and the search was approved by a county prosecutor notorious for being vindictive toward medical marijuana users. Police didn't try any other investigations—such as reviewing electricity records to see if there was a large marijuana operation—before breaking down Laudanki's door, and the prosecutor apparently didn't ask the police to do so before certifying the warrant. A review by brass could demand a higher threshold of evidence that an investigation warrants violent force.

"I think the police chief is quite practical," Licata says. "Being practical means looking at what needs to occur that will allow his police to be effective at promoting public safety without trampling on people's privacy or civil rights."

The first meeting is currently being scheduled, but the process has no specific timeline. McGinn spokesman Aaron Pickus says the meetings "are not going to be public" so everyone can speak freely, but "the recommendations will be public."