On Sept. 23, the Sheriff’s Department and Code Enforcement served a warrant at a vacant parcel in El Mirage, where officers found an estimated 85,632 pounds of processed cannabis. All the material on site required removal and destruction, prompting the team to mobilize additional staff, trucks and trailers to support the operation. The added support allowed crews to complete the removal in one day, which eliminated the need for overnight security and reduced operational impacts.
Because of the large amount of cannabis, Code Enforcement requested support from its Rapid Response Program. This unit strengthens the division’s ability to handle complex code enforcement challenges and provides quick and effective help when needed.
San Bernardino County’s Code Enforcement Cannabis Unit, part of Land Use Services, continues to work with the Sheriff’s Department Marijuana Enforcement Team to address illegal cannabis cultivation in unincorporated communities. The partnership has grown during the past 10 years as both teams adjust to changes in cultivation methods and enforcement needs.
Identifying illegal operations
The teams use a range of investigative tools. Reports come from the public via WeTip, as well as other agencies and regular scouting in unincorporated areas. These sources help investigators locate and review suspected grow sites.
Collaboration with partner agencies
Code Enforcement and the Sheriff’s Department stay in regular communication as they coordinate investigations and serve warrants. They also work with the California Department of Cannabis Control, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and San Bernardino County Fire Protection District’s Hazmat team when cases require support from those agencies.
Program growth and trends
The Code Enforcement Cannabis Unit has investigated more than 1,550 cannabis-related cases in the past decade. The team continues to adjust enforcement strategies as illegal cultivators change their methods.
The unit also works with the Nuisance Abatement Program within Land Use Services-Code Enforcement Division. The program addresses abandoned or noncompliant properties that may contain remnants of grow structures, unpermitted construction, hazardous electrical or plumbing work and debris.
Abatement activities include inspections, notices, contractor coordination, warrants and cleanup, with costs billed to property owners. Unpaid fees can result in liens or special assessments.
Teamwork makes enforcement possible
The El Mirage operation shows the value of coordination between the Sheriff’s Department and San Bernardino County Land Use Services. The ability to respond quickly and work together is essential in the county’s work to stop illegal cannabis cultivation.
