McGinn calls for review of marijuana enforcement efforts Raid of medical marijuana patient prompted action

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn has asked the King County prosecutor, Seattle city attorney, Seattle police chief, King County sheriff and a Seattle city councilman to join him in an executive review of marijuana enforcement.

The move announced Wednesday comes in response to an Oct. 25 raid of a suspected marijuana grow that turned out to be the apartment of a medical marijuana patient.

The ACLU has said the police actions were wrong. A Seattle police spokesman, who noted officers don't have a database of medical marijuana, grows that legally can have up to 15 plants, said the officers did not do anything wrong and that police often don't know if a grow is criminal or not until after such a raid.

Read more from The ACLU and Seattle police here. A copy of the search warrant, which was approved by a King County deputy prosecutor and Superior Court Judge Andrea Darvas is available here.

Before the panel meets, Police Chief John Diaz has directed Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel to review all search warrants affidavits before being sent to the Prosecutor's Office.

"When it comes to marijuana, we are in a time of transition," McGinn said in a statement. "Public opinion has been shifting toward legalization. California, our nation's social bellwether, recently decriminalized the possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana.

"Voters there just defeated a measure to legalize and tax marijuana, but 46% of Californians voted for legalization."

In 2003, Seattle voters passed an initiative making the investigation, arrest and prosecution of marijuana offenses, when the drug was intended for adult personal use, the lowest law enforcement priority.

Medical marijuana has been legal in Washington since 1998. Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes has a policy of not filing charges for simple marijuana possession.

Last December, McGinn said he supports efforts to legalize marijuana use in Washington. State Attorney General Rob McKenna is against the idea.

Earlier this year, activists filed a ballot initiative that would authorize marijuana possession in Washington. Sponsors included Vivian McPeak, Seattle's annual Hempfest director and a seattlepi.com reader blogger. But supporters failed to gather the more than 241,000 signatures to put the imitative before voters this month.

In September, McGinn that while marijuana was still the lowest enforcement priority for adult personal use, it's still against the law. He said arrests in Seattle have not increased and "we kind of put officers in a funny situation."

"As a group we will solicit input from state legislators, legal experts and researchers," McGinn said of the executive review board," and together we will review our existing policies and make recommendations regarding any changes."