El Paso County Sheriff’s Office data unavailable on marijuana related crimes due to records issue
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office doesn’t have data connecting crimes related to marijuana because of a record system issue.
With the help of Metro VNI and the DEA last year El Paso County deputies served more than 100 search warrants to combat illegal marijuana cultivation and distribution.
“That crime in and of itself is obvious as to what happened when we legalized marijuana,” Lt. Bill Huffor with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said.
Huffor said other crimes in El Paso County, beyond growing what’s allowed are connected to marijuana.
Like a homicide and a shooting that left an El Paso County deputy injured last July.
“We know we’ve had an increase in crime related to marijuana but we need to do a better job, and I think we’re on the right track, of gathering good data and using it to our advantage,” Huffor said.
KRDO NewsChannel 13 reported in August how the sheriff’s office was going to collect data to prove what they’ve talked about for years, the claim legalizing recreational marijuana has increased crime.
But, the data did not get collected.
Deputies didn’t check the proper box in the Sheriff’s Office reporting system when a call they were on was related to marijuana or other issues.
So now the agency is changing the system for the new year to hopefully get the data collected.
“What the deputies do now in the field, is they can simply call dispatch on the phone or on their radio and ask them to timestamp the call for service marijuana, homelessness or mental health,” Huffor said.
Huffor said the data is crucial for other communities considering legalization and for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office own intelligence-led policing.
“If we know that certain things are happening in certain areas based on marijuana or associated with marijuana, we can deploy our resources more effectively and do the community a better service if we have that data,” Huffor said.
The Sheriff’s Office adds they’re focused on illegal marijuana issues, not fighting against legal marijuana.
“What we’re concerned with is illegal black and gray market marijuana cultivation, distribution and the associated crimes that come with it,” Huffor said.
Huffor said the community can still expect them to be doing illegal marijuana enforcement like they were last year. But adds grant money from the State of Colorado is going to allow them to buy more equipment and hire a deputy to work full time on marijuana enforcement.
