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Crime & Safety

Police Review Excessive-Force Allegations in Pot-Shop Raid

Attorney for medical marijuana dispensary alleges Long Beach police used excessive force in June 19 raid

A review is under way into allegations that Long Beach police used excessive force during a raid of a medical marijuana dispensary.

Video of the raid shows a Long Beach police officer apparently stepping on the neck of a dispensary worker and another apparently using a club to disable a surveillance camera.

The THC Downtown Collective in the 300 block of Atlantic Avenue was
raided on June 19, according to Long Beach police spokeswoman Nancy Pratt.
The dispensary owner's attorney, Mission Viejo-based Matthew Pappas, plans to file a claim on behalf of his client, he told the LA Weekly.

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Five men were arrested during the service of a search warrant at the
dispensary, which was raided because it did not have a permit, Pratt said in a
statement. "A thorough review into what occurred during that operation will be
conducted once all of the facts have been collected,'' Pratt said. "This is a
personnel matter and we are unable to discuss any further details. The Long Beach Police Department takes any act or potential act of misconduct seriously.''

Anyone with information about the raid was asked to call the department's Internal Affairs Division at (562) 570-7343.

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