Teller County sheriff shares details of recent trip to Canada
A month after his trip to Canada, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell shared with KRDO NewsChannel 13 for the first time, what he discussed with authorities regarding marijuana enforcement.
Canada legalized pot earlier this year.
Mikesell was in Ontario, at the Canadian capital of Ottawa, and spoke Wednesday about his experience.
Mikesell left on Thanksgiving weekend for the three-day trip. He told Canadian authorities about what he’s learned while increasing a crackdown on illegal marijuana activities here.
“How do we approach the need to enforce laws against marijuana?” he said. “How do we educate the community on what isn’t and what is illegal? Who should do that, and when should you do that? Those are all things that they took from our campaign.”
Mikesell said Canadian authorities also asked about increased crime from illegal pot and the cost of enforcement to law enforcement agencies.
“Some of their issues are going to be different from our issues — like apartments,” he said. “Having that many marijuana plants in an apartment, in an apartment complex, and what will that do mold-wise, fire-wise.”
Mikesell said Canada offers immense potential for Cubans and other organized crime syndicates that have popped up in southern Colorado.
“They’re going to see a lot of the same things that we saw here because it’s the same organizations attempting to do business there, as it was here,” he said.
Mikesell said his words for Canadian authorities didn’t focus solely on enforcing marijuana laws. He also emphasized the need to get the community and the legal marijuana industry involved. He said it’s a strategy that has helped Teller County successfully fight the illegal marijuana trade.
The biggest surprise in store for Canada, Mikesell said, is how quickly the black market in marijuana will grow.
“I hope I helped them prepare for that,” he said.
Mikesell was invited on the Canada trip by ASIS, a private security firm that is active in illegal marijuana enforcement.
