Protecting Medical Marijuana Shops a Tricky Task for Police
John Romero, KDVR Reporter
June 18, 2009
Fox 31 News KDVR (Denver, CO)
DENVER, Colo. — When gunmen robbed a medical marijuana distributor in Boulder this week, police there didn't even know the business existed.
"We don't know where the dispensaries are in the city of Boulder," said Sgt. Barry Hartkopp from the Boulder County Drug Task Force.
Or even how many there are. Privacy laws are that strict.
The Colorado Department of Health says: "No lists of doctors' patients or caregivers are given to anyone."
Not even police. Not even after distributors in Ft. Collins and Boulder were robbed.
And Denver caregiver Ken Gorman was killed in his home.
"It's to their benefit to let us know where they're at so patrol officers can keep and eye on them," Hartkopp says.
Medical marijuana patients are kept confidential too.
Marijuana caregivers have a license. But if police have questions, they have to call the state to confirm.
"Unfortunately, we're bound by the 8-5 Monday through Friday call into the state."
In the meantime police can seize the pot.
Travis Sanford had his medical marijuana seized in Denver.
"I wasn't doing anything wrong, but I was seen as a criminal by the law," Sanford says.
It took five months to get the marijuana back, even though Sanford had a caregiver license.
Police say some of that confusion would be eliminated if there was an easier way to check who was a legitimate medical marijuana user or care giver.
Part of the problem is a culture clash. Many in the medical marijuana community see police as not being on their side. Or out to get them.
Barry Hartkopp hopes they can open a dialogue and prove police are not out to bust legitimate operations. | 
