CARSTAIRS – Town council has approved a new cannabis exhibit handling and disposal policy.
The move came by way of motion at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
The policy has been put in place to deal with cannabis seized by community peace officer (CPOs) during routine duties.
The policy outlines guidelines for officers to use, including for illegal quantities of cannabis.
“If during the course of an investigation the officer believes on reasonable and probable grounds that the quantify of cannabis exceeds the legal 30 grams the officer will contact the local RCMP detachment and keep the subject (person) under observation until police arrive.”
It also calls on the officer to maintain notes on the times and observations up to the up police arrive, and those notes shall be forwarded to police if required.
“Exhibits which must be stored or maintained for the purposes of court will be kept in an air tight container, inside a locked safe with access limited to the officers of the Town of Carstairs municipal enforcement and their supervisor, located in facilities owned by the Town of Carstairs.”
When the seized cannabis is no longer needed for evidence, it will be disposed of as outlined by Alberta Environment and Parks.
The new policy also includes rules for the storage of seized cannabis.
Council also approved a new routine exhibit handling policy, which includes a provision that CPOs will “utilize appropriate holding facilities when taking control or seizing exhibits.
'A temporary locker is available for use by the members and a key will be retained by the primary and secondary exhibit custodian.”
As well the CPO will document all of the required information and place the form and the bagged/tagged exhibit in the exhibit locker along with the properly completed exhibit form.
The exhibit custodian will ensure that the logbook is filled out appropriately to ensure proper movement of the exhibit.
