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7.A. - Page 7 • Indoor grows: The San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force (in which RCPD participates) has recently served two search warrants targeting suspected illegal indoor marijuana grows in Redwood City. The first was in a light industrial area and the second was in a residential home. In each case, agents found numerous plants and processed marijuana. Agents were unable to seize any of these items or make any arrests, because the operators possessed valid medical marijuana cards and also indicated that other medical marijuana card holders assisted with the grow for lawful personal use as permitted by state law. The City's code enforcement department was notified regarding possible code violations related to the electrical wiring and irrigation set up necessary to maintain the plants. Cities around the state that already have operating marijuana facilities within their jurisdictions have experienced violent crimes, including robbery and homicides, directly associated with the dispensaries. In many cases the robberies appear to have been perpetrated by a crew specifically targeting marijuana distribution facilities. In 2010, San Jose alone experienced three armed robberies of these facilities, which appeared to be part of a larger Bay Area pattern conducted by the same two perpetrators. These robberies followed a pattern which emerged in southern California where marijuana facilities were targeted by organized crews. In several southern California cases the robberies resulted in the murder of dispensary employees. In addition to targeting dispensaries, subjects often target individual patrons as they come and go from these locations. In San Francisco, several patrons have been robbed as they left marijuana distribution facilities after making a purchase, including one who was shot and killed. In contrast, a recently published Rand study conducted in Los Angeles purports that crime actually rises in areas where medical marijuana dispensaries have been required to c/ose. This study is hopelessly flawed and cannot be relied upon. As an initial matter, the study looked at a very narrow time period, ten days before and ten days after the identified dispensaries were ordered to close. A twenty day window is insufficient to draw any conclusions about crime trends. The Rand researchers also failed to verify whether or not the dispensaries cited in the study were actually open during the first ten day period examined or closed during the second ten day period. Additionally, the study did not rely upon crime data provided by the Los Angeles Police Department, but rather collected data from other, unverified sources. Finally, the Rand study tracked only a limited number of crimes that do not reflect a comprehensive examination of the potential adverse secondary effects of inedical marijuana dispensaries, which run the gamut from violent felonies such as robbery to low level nuisance crimes such as loitering. If marijuana distribution facilities were to be permitted within Redwood City, the Police Department would have to develop new procedures to carefully check potential operators and their security plans, and develop enforcement strategies to curtail the aforementioned secondary adverse effects. The Police Department bases their assessment on the known law enforcement environment related to marijuana in Redwood City and the context of future staffing and priority issues.