COM 0140.006 2002-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Resolution and Ordinance Whereas the County of Hawaii is in a budgetary crisis and; Whereas The Hawaii County Police department in the overzealous efforts to eradicate Cannabis has incurred lawsuits costing further taxpayer moneys caused numerous complaints and loss of citizens privacy and peace and; Whereas The State of Hawaii has passed legislation allowing the medical use of Cannabis and; Whereas it is extremely difficult for eradication officers to distinguish a medial Cannabis Grow site via aerial observation and; Whereas the Hawaii State Constitution provides for privacy in article one section six and for the pursuit of happiness in article one section two and freedom of religion in article one section four and Cannabis eradications in private residential locations has violated these citizens rights and: Whereas the privacy provision of the Stale Constitution was drafred with specific language with the intent of preventing the arrest of any individual in the privacy of their home from being arrested for the use of Cannabis and: Whereas there is a limited amount of taxpayer dollars to fund the Hawaii Cotmty Police department and: Whereas there is an epidemic of methamphetamine use on Hawaii island needing all police and law enforcement resources which are misspent on manini Cannabis crimes It is hereby resolved that no County police officer or Prosecuting attorney shall arrest or prosecute any Cannabis offense less than ,5 plants on private residential property, nor shall any county officer or agent participate in Cannabis eradication efforts over private and or residential land. nor shall any county resources be utilized b_v am~ state or Federal agency or agents in the persecution of cannabis users or eradication missions Also any corutty officer or agent who violates this ordinance shall be fined between SSpO and S 1000 per attempted Cannabis arrest or destruction of less than'_~ plants or confiscation of less than L LB of dried Caimabis; there being no indernnitication for any county agent or police oflcer with regard to the offenses of this ordinance that any tine incurred shall be the sole and personal responsibility of the participating officer or agent of the cowtty of Hawaii This resolution and ordinance is in no way a legalization of Cannabis The purpose of this ordinance is strictly to place the arrest and or prosecution of manini Cannabis crimes at the lowest order of priority that police and prosecutor taxpayer moneys be redirected toward all the hard drug crimes occurring in Hawaii County, .cEC.uvca Sponsored by Che Reli_iun uf.lcsus Church Dime----^--' By..___._~._~. Rey. Dennis Shields spo6espcrson _ pore----~/-2a~..~____ Comm. No. 7 2-t ?00'_ County CouncU ~ NO Ref. Tt~~e~O' Ref. Date