South Dakota Police Commission Approves Officer Applicants with Cannabis Records

In South Dakota, two law enforcement officers were recently allowed to use cannabis by the South Dakota Law Enforcement Standards Board.according to south dakota searchlight, the Commission has made decisions on more than a dozen pending certifications and recertifications of “reciprocity of personnel, dog units, and out-of-state or Indian personnel seeking state certification.” A number of “officer candidates” attended the July 12th committee meeting to make their case.

The first was Officer Cody Beckers, who pleaded guilty to possession of THC wax as a freshman in 2015. It was a mistake. I was a freshman in college,” Beckers said. “Looking back on it now, it was a blessing in disguise for me. I turned my whole behavior around.”

He earned a bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University and later a law enforcement qualification from Alexandria Technical and Community College. He “wanted to find a way to get a sense of purpose in helping people,” Beckers continued.

South Dakota law prohibits the commission from certifying employee applicants who plead guilty to a felony, but an exception is allowed “for those sentenced in the state with a suspended sentence,” the paper said. writing. south dakota searchlight.

After debating whether the committee had the authority to recognize Beckers, the committee agreed to do so. “I think this is an appropriate consideration for this board,” said committee member Tom Wolman. “We have pretty clear powers under state law. It gives us that discretion.”

The second case involved current sheriff’s deputy Alysen Floodland, a tribal medical practitioner registered with the Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe to deal with the pain she experienced after knee surgery in 2016. He will be allowed to be certified as a police officer despite having a marijuana card. 2022. “I am an honest, hardworking person and will do whatever I can to improve our community,” Floodland said.

Hank Prim, a law enforcement trainer for the Criminal Investigation Service, also said he spoke in support of Mr. Floodland’s case. “She was honest with her application,” Prim said. “If she hadn’t honestly filed her application, it’s quite possible that the law enforcement board wouldn’t have known about it.”

Many Native American tribes have begun legalizing medical and/or recreational cannabis on their lands, profiting from its sale. The Flandreau-Santee Sioux tribe was one of the first tribes to legalize medical marijuana in the United States after the Department of Justice issued the Cole Memorandum in 2014, and was also the first dispensary to open in South Dakota. be.

But last year, the Flandreau Santee Sioux said: Associated Press Last year, police arrested more than 100 people who had medical marijuana cards and bought cannabis at pharmacies. The tribe issued approximately 8,000 medical cannabis cards to both tribal and non-tribal members.

According to Flandreau Police Chief Zack Weber, the South Dakota Department of Public Safety and the Office of the Attorney General said these arrests are valid. “If they have a tribal card and they are non-Native American, we will seize the card and any marijuana products they may have had.” weber said.

Recreational marijuana is currently illegal in South Dakota, and many supporters have tried to legalize it, but have failed twice.

In June, South Dakota Rep. Fred Deutsch said he would get a medical card just to test the medical cannabis system, but he also said he would not buy cannabis. Earlier, Deutsch urged other lawmakers to vote against a bill that would expand the list of eligibility requirements. “Doctors can make a ton of money just by opening a ‘Doc in a Box Shop.’ That worries me,” Deutsch said. “That’s a concern for everyone. I mean, come on. If we’re talking about medical cannabis, it should be available to the people who really need it, and the people who don’t need it.” should be made unavailable.”