The Food Police: Massive SWAT Raid Nets Organic Okra
Radley Balko, at HuffPo, writes:
A small organic farm in Arlington, Texas, was the target of a massive police action last week that included aerial surveillance, a SWAT raid and a 10-hour search.Members of the local police raiding party had a search warrant for marijuana plants, which they failed to find at the Garden of Eden farm. But farm owners and residents who live on the property told a Dallas-Ft. Worth NBC station that the real reason for the law enforcement exercise appears to have been code enforcement. The police seized "17 blackberry bushes, 15 okra plants, 14 tomatillo plants ... native grasses and sunflowers," after holding residents inside at gunpoint for at least a half-hour, property owner Shellie Smith said in a statement. The raid lasted about 10 hours, she said.
Local authorities had cited the Garden of Eden in recent weeks for code violations, including "grass that was too tall, bushes growing too close to the street, a couch and piano in the yard, chopped wood that was not properly stacked, a piece of siding that was missing from the side of the house, and generally unclean premises," Smith's statement said. She said the police didn't produce a warrant until two hours after the raid began, and officers shielded their name tags so they couldn't be identified. According to ABC affiliate WFAA, resident Quinn Eaker was the only person arrested -- for outstanding traffic violations.
The city of Arlington said in a statement that the code citations were issued to the farm following complaints by neighbors, who were "concerned that the conditions" at the farm "interfere with the useful enjoyment of their properties and are detrimental to property values and community appearance." The police SWAT raid came after "the Arlington Police Department received a number of complaints that the same property owner was cultivating marijuana plants on the premises," the city's statement said. "No cultivated marijuana plants were located on the premises," the statement acknowledged.
Again, the danger of having too many laws is that we all become criminals and can be preyed upon by the increasingly militarized police.
Perhaps not quite so clear cut. According to the statement released by the city the warrant was for "health and safety due to the current unsanitary conditions on the property that promotes the harboring of rodents, mosquitoes and fire hazards", and they "removed 20,420 pounds of nuisance materials". That's not just a couple of plants.
Having read articles written by both sides, this sounds like a modern day hippie commune, believing in "live and let live", only their neighbor were a bit upset at having tons of trash next door. Which might be great out in the countryside, but if you have neighbors, they may just object to living next to a dump.
I'm in Texas, but not in Arlington. Anyone live in the neighborhood, and want to give an eyewitness account?
a_random_guy at August 18, 2013 5:22 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2013/08/18/the_food_police_2.html#comment-3862644">comment from a_random_guyBut sending out SWAT?
Amy Alkon at August 18, 2013 6:05 AM
It sounds like you have a good analysis of the situation. But the other thing that struck me:
And the use of SWAT teams to do the raid. Did any of the cops or deputies go in ahead of time and say "You have 30 days or we'll bring in a government team and it will cost you $####."?
And if you read the article they are taking SWAT teams to raid Amish farmers for selling raw milk. WTF?
Essentially there has been a move away from civil policing policies to using combat tactics for relatively minor offenses. It may be that the military has been been dumping their excess equipment or there is a distrust of police that has built up. It is a chicken or egg problem. But as it currently stands I say it is an LEO problem more than civilian issue.
Jim P. at August 18, 2013 6:26 AM
Yeah, there's no question that the SWAT raids are out of control. The local police departments are getting all this subsidized military gear from the feds, and they need some sort of justification for it. Stupid, but there it is.
Really, the local communities need to get upset about this, and tell their cops: "we don't want you to be a military force." Sort of like what is happening in New Hampshire at the moment - the local police force wants a Bearcat, and lots of locals are apparently standing up and saying "no - you don't need that and we don't want you to have it".
a_random_guy at August 18, 2013 7:13 AM
I'm sorry, but using SWAT teams to enforce code violations is the sort of thing everyone ought to oppose, not make excuses for.
Astra at August 18, 2013 7:14 AM
Oops, that was the link from the NH town that fought the Bearcat issue last year. Here the current link
a_random_guy at August 18, 2013 7:15 AM
""grass that was too tall, bushes growing too close to the street, a couch and piano in the yard, chopped wood that was not properly stacked, a piece of siding that was missing from the side of the house, and generally unclean premises,""
These are code violations? It seems to me that if you own the property, you should be able to grow the grass as long as you damn well please, and have whatever furniture you like.
Where was by-law enforcement? Does SWAT need an excuse for a bigger budget next year?
Must have been a slow week.
wtf at August 18, 2013 7:42 AM
That is pretty much based on where you live.
Arlington, TX is pretty much right between Dallas and Fort Worth. There is no such thing as rural inside the DFW loop. And there is a difference between front-yard agriculture and just not mowing the grass.
Jim P. at August 18, 2013 8:14 AM
Define nuisance material, Seems to me a bib blackberry bush ina pot, or ripped out of the ground could weigh about 50-100 lbs.
On the other hand 20,000 is the equivalent of ten ford trucks.
Lets see photos of the property before the raid and after the 'clean up'
lujlp at August 18, 2013 8:25 AM
This is why every single time my town puts one of those ballot measures out--you know the type, where the police and/or fire department will shut down if you don't vote for said bond/levy/tax--I always vote against them.
mark n. at August 18, 2013 8:29 AM
It's Texas. The occupants are lucky they weren't beaten and shot by the police instead of only robbed of their rights and property.
Meanwhile, in North Saint Louis:
Black man owns house.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at August 18, 2013 9:24 AM
Okra plants do look quite a bit like marijuana to someone who's not really educated in either plant. (I've heard of more than a few backyard garden enthusiasts who've lost okra plants to teen boys because of this.) I could see neighbors calling in marijuana growing based on that. And regrettably marijuana growing = SWAT team these days.
The place sounds more like a junk pile with a few useful plants than it does a "small organic farm" A couch AND a piano in the yard? I can't imagine that attracting vermin is good for the health of the "farm"
Elle at August 18, 2013 9:53 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2013/08/18/the_food_police_2.html#comment-3863021">comment from ElleMarijuana shouldn't be illegal, you should be able to put any plant you want in your body, and what the hell is the government doing spending the money to send armed, militarized cops to a farm with some disarray and possibly code violations?
And why the fuck are so many people so okey-dokey with this? You could be next. For that ill-placed tree or errant Bigwheel on the sidewalk.
Amy Alkon at August 18, 2013 10:16 AM
If they're raiding a pot farm (or alleged pot farm), having a SWAT team on standby seems a prudent precaution to me. What if the "organic farm" had a little Copperhead Road thing going?
If they're using the alleged pot farm as a cover for forcibly busting code violators, a SWAT team is overkill - dangerous overkill as it could get someone seriously hurt.
=========================
If the neighbors were so close that tall grass was a nuisance, was this really a "farm" or was this a house with a large lot operating as a farm in the middle of a residential neighborhood?
I can understand the neighborhood getting a little upset over a bunch of hippies turning the house next door into a commune.
Conan the Grammarian at August 18, 2013 10:17 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2013/08/18/the_food_police_2.html#comment-3863078">comment from Conan the GrammarianIt should be none of the government's fucking business whether you grow pot or anything else on your farm, and they have no business on private property unless there's some indication that you are a danger to the rest of us, like in that your farm might explode and the repercussions and fire might spread to others around it.
Amy Alkon at August 18, 2013 10:50 AM
"...you should be able to put any plant you want in your body,..."
This does nothing to protect you from the consequences of irresponsible persons under the influence, and is therefore never going to happen as stated.
Drug users lie. They lie to family. Parents lie to children, children lie to parents, employees lie to employers, husbands lie to wives, wives lie to husbands, because everyone really knows when it's just plain wrong. There's no community value. In fact, there's the demonstrated negative influence on community. Legal or not, cocaine isn't free, and a person rendered useless due to abuse can't pay for more through legal means.
After you get used to lying to Dad, it becomes easy to justify lying about other things. Then, there's a sort of egotistical claim to "coolness" for smoking pot. We're all really "with it", we smoke weed, that's how we know we're just above it all.
That's why enforcement has to happen. Again: you cannot get a "do over" for injury or fatality committed under the infuence. Prevention is the key.
It's so insane that people who object to smoking tobacco side with pot users - that is, until it's time to put commercial protections and legalization and standardization of production into place. Then, somehow, nobody can get off the couch.
That's OK. The Chinese are off that couch, pursuing work and prosperity instead of a pipe.
Radwaste at August 18, 2013 10:52 AM
a_random_guy:
they "removed 20,420 pounds of nuisance materials". That's not just a couple of plants.
Hi random, the Garden of Eden people say (sic):
9. Many trailer loads of valuable materials and items were taken from the land. This included 55 gallon barrels which are used for rain water collection, animal water feed tanks, aquaponics systems, and many other uses, glass doors which are used for green house purposes and solar dehydrator and solar water heating apparatuses, two refrigerators which are were to be used for solar hot air collectors to heat buildings without electric or gas heat and had also been used for other sustainable realities, and lots of wood for building builsings, tables, benches and chairs for the new commons room to be built. Multiple axles to be used to make a home made trailer were taken, as were other valuble items documented in an AFFIDAVIT OF DAMAGES.
Link:
http://intothegardenofeden.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=141&Itemid=381
kenmce at August 18, 2013 10:54 AM
Drug users do not lie. Ever use asprin? Your a drug user. Ever shout or swear in pain? You've just used biofeedback to make your brain create its own asprin - again drug user.
I think you should have said drug ABUSER.
And many of them do lie. Some because of the consequences of being honest. Most becuase they are addicts lying to themselves about everything that lying to others becomes second nature
lujlp at August 18, 2013 11:53 AM
@kenmce: Yes, but...I am pretty sure I know the type of place this was. Lots of 55 gal drums sitting around open, full of rainwater, because someone might someday actually do something with them. Scrap glass that will "someday" become part of a greenhouse. A f'ing piano rotting in the yard.
I am pretty sure I know exactly what kind of place this was, and I wouldn't want to live next to it either... Ok, I went searching. See the second photo in this article, to get an idea.
That said, a SWAT team is ridiculous and out of place for something like this.
a_random_guy at August 18, 2013 12:04 PM
From your article a_random_guy
In the affidavit, Perez cites her professional experience in order to convince the judge the property contained a laundry-list of drug paraphernalia including cultivation equipment, materials for marijuana distribution, books, schedules, equipment and even bank statements.
So, a rake and a hoe, sandwich baggies, a stack of novels, a chore wheel, "equipment," and copies of your bank statements is proof of drug manufacture?
I've got all of those except for the hoe
lujlp at August 18, 2013 2:58 PM
>>Drug users lie.
Think of why they lying. Is it perhaps because the drug in question is against the law? So legalize if you want them to stop lying. And if you want to keep with this "Drug users lie so that's proof drugs need to be kept illegal" line of BS reasoning, you should probably make politics and hypocrisy illegal as well.
>>This does nothing to protect you from the consequences of irresponsible persons under the influence,
Or just irresponsible people period. Better lock irresponsible people up, that will make you safe. Freedom is over rated anyway. Other people's freedom in any case.
>> Again: you cannot get a "do over" for injury or fatality committed under the influence
Or if committed under the influence of stupidity. It should be illegal to be stupid. Oh wait there is an entire system in place to handle wrongful death and injury. So you don't need to make stupid people illegal after all. Imagine that.
Assholio at August 18, 2013 3:43 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2013/08/18/the_food_police_2.html#comment-3863694">comment from AssholioAgain: you cannot get a "do over" for injury or fatality committed under the influence
Or while texting, or while fatigued and driving anyway.
Amy Alkon at August 18, 2013 4:03 PM
Actually in Texas, we normally fully support property rights. Of course, your rights on your property end where my rights on my property begin. SO I'm all for codes and enforcing them. But not with swat. Not with cops at all, unless there's a proven need to in a given situation.
Thanks for posting the link to the pics. yes, that place needed cleaning up. Vermin and mosquitoes given such good breeding areas are a threat to the health of all living nearby. Not to mention property values which yes, you DO get to enforce when someone chooses to live a place with codes or HOA rules. No, swat did not need to go.
momof4 at August 18, 2013 4:32 PM
Assholio, your position is fallacious. It's the Appeal to Consequences, for just one part. Go look it up.
By your "reasoning" - in quotes because it's not - then if people do any sort of crime, then legalizing that activity will make things AOK.
Nope. Next, please.
Meanwhile, if you have a substance with a net positive to society, make the case for its production and distribution, and show how that's wonderful. You'll get it legally, and then you have something to point to other than countless murders over drug turf, subsidized by giggling half-wits, pretending to be intellectuals, whose sole interest is to get high.
People forget that police aren't the only people that go ape over drugs.
Light up. What do you care about Mexican lives? Nothing.
Radwaste at August 18, 2013 7:15 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2013/08/18/the_food_police_2.html#comment-3864106">comment from RadwasteLight up. What do you care about Mexican lives? Nothing.
In California, there's a pot dispensary near me. That has what to do with Mexican lives?
People die in drug wars because drugs are illegal. Nobody's dying over petunias.
Amy Alkon at August 18, 2013 7:37 PM
Meanwhile please tell me how well the Eighteenth Amendment worked:
Jim P. at August 18, 2013 7:43 PM
>>Assholio, your position is fallacious. It's the Appeal to Consequences
Dude, your entire assertion is without merit. "Most drug users lie!!! With disastrous consequences to society!" Prove it.
>>Meanwhile, if you have a substance with a net positive to society, make the case for its production and distribution, and show how that's wonderful.
You first. With everything that's currently legal.
>> You'll get it legally, and then you have something to point to other than countless murders over drug turf,
which only happen because it is illegal. Gangs don't have shoot outs over legal substances. Dude I get it, you have an uniformed opinion, back up by no facts, and you just can't get over your own ignorance. It is your blind spot. Just like crid couldn't understand why a child would be better off with two same sex parents compared to a life in foster care.
Assholio at August 18, 2013 7:44 PM
>>Meanwhile please ...
you will just love the responses you get to this, if you get any.
Assholio at August 18, 2013 7:53 PM
Leave a comment