Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
A Williams marijuana-reform advocate has filed a complaint alleging that Medford police officials violated state law restricting public employees' political activity while at work.
Laird Funk filed a complaint against Medford police Chief Randy Schoen, Deputy Chief Tim George and Lt. Tim Doney on Monday, the day the three were quoted in a Mail Tribune story on law enforcement concerns about a ballot measure that would establish medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.
The complaint is about a possible violation of a state law that prohibits public employees from soliciting "money, influence, service or other thing of value" or otherwise promoting or opposing candidates and measures during working hours, state officials said. The civil case has been assigned to an investigator, the Secretary of State's Office reported.
Schoen said that Funk has been a vocal critic of police and their stance on marijuana, so he wasn't surprised by the complaint.
"I stand by everything I said," Schoen said. "We didn't say 'don't vote for this measure.' We said these are our concerns and some of the issues we see."
He maintains that police, who respond to calls about problems from growers, patients and neighbors and would be tasked with protecting dispensaries, have insight into how the medical marijuana law is working now and what changes might mean on the street.
Schoen said state law provides Funk with a mechanism to report his concerns about police statements, and he respected that process. Schoen also said that he and his fellow officers were within their rights to provide information to the public and Funk should respect that.
Funk didn't return a call from the Mail Tribune on Wednesday.
On Monday, he also filed a complaint alleging Mark Mills violated the same ban on public workers' political activity. Although details of that complaint weren't immediately available from the state, Deschutes County Sheriff's Capt. Mark Mills also has talked about law enforcement concerns about Measure 74, as reported in The Bulletin in Bend.
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Mail Tribune, The (Medford, OR)
Copyright: 2010 The Mail Tribune
Contact: letters@mailtribune.com
Website: Mailtribune.com - News for Medford, Ashland, Jacksonville and Southern Oregon
Details: MapInc
Laird Funk filed a complaint against Medford police Chief Randy Schoen, Deputy Chief Tim George and Lt. Tim Doney on Monday, the day the three were quoted in a Mail Tribune story on law enforcement concerns about a ballot measure that would establish medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.
The complaint is about a possible violation of a state law that prohibits public employees from soliciting "money, influence, service or other thing of value" or otherwise promoting or opposing candidates and measures during working hours, state officials said. The civil case has been assigned to an investigator, the Secretary of State's Office reported.
Schoen said that Funk has been a vocal critic of police and their stance on marijuana, so he wasn't surprised by the complaint.
"I stand by everything I said," Schoen said. "We didn't say 'don't vote for this measure.' We said these are our concerns and some of the issues we see."
He maintains that police, who respond to calls about problems from growers, patients and neighbors and would be tasked with protecting dispensaries, have insight into how the medical marijuana law is working now and what changes might mean on the street.
Schoen said state law provides Funk with a mechanism to report his concerns about police statements, and he respected that process. Schoen also said that he and his fellow officers were within their rights to provide information to the public and Funk should respect that.
Funk didn't return a call from the Mail Tribune on Wednesday.
On Monday, he also filed a complaint alleging Mark Mills violated the same ban on public workers' political activity. Although details of that complaint weren't immediately available from the state, Deschutes County Sheriff's Capt. Mark Mills also has talked about law enforcement concerns about Measure 74, as reported in The Bulletin in Bend.
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Mail Tribune, The (Medford, OR)
Copyright: 2010 The Mail Tribune
Contact: letters@mailtribune.com
Website: Mailtribune.com - News for Medford, Ashland, Jacksonville and Southern Oregon
Details: MapInc
