While a number of public forums about medical marijuana showed community support for bringing facilities inside city limits, a number of residents disliked the idea.
Those opposed to medical marijuana facilities operating within their city limits cited a primary concern as strain on police forces, due to what they alleged would be an increase in crime and demand for security.
Although the majority of the details still have to be worked out, local law enforcement officials have been proactive in considering potential outcomes of the resolution.
Bill Marx, the Buchanan Police Chief and city manager, said that the local police force has been evaluating how to best serve its city in the wake of the new resolution.
Much about the ordinance still has to be decided, including where facilities will be located, how many and which of five types of facilities will be allowed to operate in the city, which include grow operations, processors, provision centers, transporters and safety compliance facilities.
Marx said an important factor to increasing security measures will be assuring the police departments and planning commission work together to decide an appropriate location for the facilities.
“We will have some strategic planning conversations about where the proposed location will be,” Marx said. “The planning commission will ask for feedback from the police department.”
The ideal location for a facility would have high visibility and adequate parking to allow easy and speedy patient access.
“What we learned in our research [is] the customer that is there is there for 15 minutes or less.” Marx said. “They don’t want to park around the block to get there because they will be carrying cash.”
Inside the facility, Marx said he trusts that the legislation will provide some security. House Bill 4827, also known as the marijuana tracking act, mandates an internet-based monitoring and tracking system aimed at inventory tracking, verification and integrated tracking.
Marx said that internally, the police force would provide additional awareness training to officers.
At this time, Marx said the force does not anticipate having to hire more officers.
A portion of state funds garnered from medical marijuana facilities is expected to go toward the force, including the county sheriff’s department, the Michigan Commission on Local Law Enforcement and to the Department of State Police. According to the department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, each is expected to receive 5 percent of funds collected from the state treasury’s medical marijuana excise fund.
Marx also contacted a police chief in Colorado, where medical and recreational marijuana is legal. He talked with the chief about problems that the force faced with the legalization. Marx said he was told that one of the biggest issues was people using fake identification cards to acquire the product.
Marx identified this issue as the “weakest link” and said that in the coming months he hoped to see state legislature address this issue.
“The state of Michigan needs to understand that is the weakest link and put some effort into securing that part of the supply chain,” Marx said. “That is where I hope that the legislature can weigh in.”
Marx echoed the same sentiment that other council members asserted in Niles and Buchanan Monday.
“It was one of the hardest decisions I have seen the commission have to make,” Marx said. “[There] were a lot of emotions around it. There was a forum and a clear presence for the need for it in the community.”