Comments

Kyle wrote on Nov 6, 2009 5:11 PM:

" No one is more offended when an officer breaks the law, than his or her fellow officers. It damages the reputation of all officers and should not be tolerated by any. No cop is perfect. Most try their best. Stop slandering the cops just because they investigate crimes that you committ. One of those recently charged in the Trapper Creek grows, but not named, had the integrity to own up to his offenses. He showed much more character than you do with your postings and he at least earned my respect. "




Kyle wrote on Nov 6, 2009 5:04 PM:

" Paul, you are absolutely right about the pill problem. To "the truth" and "just the facts", don't you two watch the news once in a while? Didn't you just see one cop convicted of a child abuse crime and another arrested for sexual assault? Who do you think investigated these two? It wasn't just because of the nature of the crime that they were investigated. Cops investigate all crime reports. It's a shame that sometimes we have to investigate ourselves, but we do it to weed out the bad apples. "




the truth wrote on Nov 6, 2009 4:12 AM:

" At least the teachers would be willing to turn one of there own in if they knew he or she was doing wrong. We all know that does not happen it the law enforcement community. So comparing apples to oranges does not apply "




just the facts wrote on Nov 6, 2009 4:07 AM:

" Good cops right. I think I rmember some valley cop arresting a kid for using his computer at the library. Now thats a crime, but try to get them to come to your house if you have a problem and they have no time. They are all overpaid for the work they do and lets not forget about there six figure pensions that are bankrupting alaska. The cop on this forum sure is quick to defend his criminal cohorts. When is the last time a cop turned another in? Drinking and driving in the valley come to mind. "




alaskaveritas wrote on Nov 3, 2009 10:14 PM:

" How many good police are out there? I would suggest that the vast majority of men and women serving in law enforcement in the United States are good, hard working people who love their families and communities and serve to the best of their ability. "




alaskaveritas wrote on Nov 3, 2009 10:13 PM:

" Every day, good men and women who work in law enforcement serve their communities and risk their lives for pay that is far lower that what services such as theirs should be paid. There are heroes who are good role models who teach drug abuse resistance education in the schools, provide traffic enforcement, investigate and prosecute people who assault their family members, etc.. These men and women in blue serve honorably and all you can do is pick out one or two lemons and say that all police are bad. "




alaskaveritas wrote on Nov 3, 2009 10:13 PM:

" We are a nation of laws and it is one of our foundational strengths. You cite where an alleged wrongdoing by a police officer has caused grief for someone. Does that mean that all police officers are bad? There is a teacher on the Kenai Peninsula under indictment for assaulting a student. Does that mean that all teachers hold the same values and criminal dispositions as that one teacher. "




hope wrote on Nov 1, 2009 2:35 PM:

" You have to laugh at the cops comment of we are a nation of laws. Some of the biggest criminals hide behind a badge. I watched a court proceeding in Palmer over a grower getting busted and the detective gotg caught lying. His reponse to the Judge was it was an investigative techniique. The apes employed by our government act like cockroaches when they bust a place. They laugh when they bust your house apart. Apparently there momma brought them up wrong "




Former Pothead wrote on Nov 1, 2009 5:21 AM:

" I tell you something even more crazy about the War on Drugs. Here in Washington State they have a $ 5000 reward for turining growers. Let me say that again, They have a reward for turning in growers. You see they have it backwards here like most states. You would think they would have rewards for Murderers, rapists, child molesters, but know that is too dangerous for the average cop so they instead focus all there time and effort on Pot growers. Go to the trial of those guys in Talkeetna and look around for the victim of that
crime. "




tracee wrote on Nov 1, 2009 12:03 AM:

" i agree the doctors feeding people drugs instead of helping them need to be dealt with...i'm your doctor& i'm going to give you methadone instead of helping you..sad but true.... "




CindyLou wrote on Oct 31, 2009 10:46 AM:

" Please check out the LEAP site: Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. It is very enlightening for both sides of the issue. Perhaps, as a society, we need to consider a new way of thinking about the drug problem. "




Borealis wrote on Oct 31, 2009 2:41 AM:

" If anyone of you are truly an expert, step forward.
A real expert, if you have smoked pot, taken herion, snorted speed/crank.. Do you know what it actually does to you, any of you who are antagonizing about the drug problem, if so, please step forward and not be a coward, please give us your professional, unbiased testimony. I believe the LEO's of immediate have the upperhand on the management of said subject(s)! "




Paul wrote on Oct 29, 2009 10:17 AM:

" I personally think more needs to be done to crack down on doctors who are more interested in feeding patients drugs than fixing their ailments. I guess there is no money in cures. All they are doing is making addicts out of people. They need to pursue the idea of using non narcotic drugs instead. Vicodin, OxyContin,etc. Once people become addicted, they either doctor shop or end up turnng to heroin because of the price for these prescrition drugs on the street. I personally think prescription drug abuse is a worse problem than pot growing operations in the Valley. "




informed wrote on Oct 29, 2009 9:27 AM:

" I am part of a drug task force, so I know from whence I speak. Meth labs are no longer a major concern. There are very few of them in Alaska now, if it were not so, you would see them busted every week, like back in 2003 to 2005. Drugs have a trend and rise and fall in popularity and use for several reasons. Most of those complaining about the enforcement of drug laws are those who abuse drugs themselves. For the most part, your complaints fall on unsympathetic ears. "




To informed wrote on Oct 28, 2009 10:50 PM:

" Hate to break it to you, but you are not the least bit informed. "




informed wrote on Oct 28, 2009 2:51 PM:

" I get tired of hearing about "all the meth labs" that cops should bust, instead of investigating some other crime. If you think meth labs are still a major problem in the state, you are illinformed. Heroin is king now and yes, drug officers actively pursue those selling/importing heroin and making/selling meth too. If you really think that no crimes occur around marijuana then you're naive. Home invasions, shootings, burglaries etc. occur for dope, just like "hard" drugs. Pot growers are not "farmers", they are people breaking the law. "




Not a smoker wrote on Oct 28, 2009 2:26 PM:

" If you smoke dope how can you be a professional? Dope smokers are losers and cant even carry on a conversation that makes since to anyone but them. Put them all in jail they arent worth a crap in society anyway. "




AKVIC wrote on Oct 27, 2009 11:36 PM:

" I know everyone involved. Sad deal is none of them were using the government to pay their kids medical costs. Now their wives will have no other choice. When Daddy goes to jail we all pay and it will be much more than what they would have gotten from their grow. Our government really sucks, "




jp wrote on Oct 27, 2009 3:51 PM:

" "all the people i know who smoke pot are professionals"
HAHAHA, that proves my point exactly!
the word "professional" gets thrown around waaay too easy, and given to those who are truly unworthy of it!
like me going to a burger joint and ordering my meal from the "burger professional"
HAHAHA! "




smokeweedeveryday wrote on Oct 27, 2009 3:49 PM:

" yay weed! "




Just silly wrote on Oct 27, 2009 7:17 AM:

" Keep it ILLEGAL and keep putting them in jail! Quit excusing your desire to be baked and demand better from yourself because that is all you can control! If it's as chicken soup as you say - then just quit! Leave it alone! "Uhhhh... Huh Huh.... dude I could quit, but I hate sobriety man, I like to be stoned out of my mind." Just keep mispelling your petitions Captain Cannabis! Sober the heck up and quit smoking, make this a better place to live! "




abuttswhohasnocriminalrecord wrote on Oct 26, 2009 9:27 PM:

" To "butts of talkeetna" : James Butts is not related to Kendra Butts, who has been behind bars for almost 2 years now and has many, many more to go. By the way, not everyone who is related to Kendra is a criminal. "




akglow wrote on Oct 26, 2009 6:16 PM:

" All the people that I know who smoke pot are professionals. Let's finally get rid of the "stoner dude" image. It could be a huge cash crop for the valley if it was legal. "




To Wasilla resident wrote on Oct 25, 2009 3:59 PM:

" Sounds like you got it all figured out and you are right and millions of other people are wrong.
Whatever makes you feel better chief. "




Wasilla resident wrote on Oct 25, 2009 11:59 AM:

" illegal is illegal....yah, and I really do wonder how many pothead are sucking up taxpayer money with state aid and Denali Kid Care. Amotivational Syndrome is real and the damage done by smoking dope to everyone involved costs our community. Let me hear what a working pothead has to say. "




2bornot2b wrote on Oct 25, 2009 11:13 AM:

" Marijuana is the least of my worries living in the Valley. Where I work many young people are popping pills for some reason.....they get to feeling much better very fast!!

Alcohol on the other hand is worse, try being on the road between 11 - 1 on the Palmer/Wasilla or the Glenn.

Meth is something that all the rotted out toothed people just get ignored by society. Young and old this is one of the worst problems we need to address.

Marijuana is like near beer to Meth and alcohol "




Kendra Butts was Not from Talkeetna wrote on Oct 25, 2009 11:07 AM:

" Kendra Butts was NOT from Talkeetna. She was from Palmer or Wasilla and came up here to do her damage to our community. And since I've never yet run into an aggressive pothead, I suspect that pot wasn't a major factor in that crime. If only those meth labs and heroin distribution networks were targeted as aggressively as easy-to-find marijuana grow houses, the really dangerous drugs that devastate lives could be better fought. Federal non-prosecution of pot for medical use is here, maybe a step toward decriminalization and taxation, but the locals seem to keep going for easy targets. "




TAXS wrote on Oct 24, 2009 9:19 PM:

" Losers who sell pot dont pay tax's and have there kids on Denali kid care. Get a job. Oh, wait the pot evidently does no harm... "




Potheads wrote on Oct 24, 2009 9:17 PM:

" Are you people for real? I take it you all smoke pot or do other drugs. I am a student (not college), and let me tell you that half the problems the kids I go to school with are because there parents are pot heads....seriously people. You think its not a problem? Lots of the kids I go to school with smoke it too...because there parent s dont think its a big deal....NICE....What happens when the pot does not do the trick??? Yeah, thanks for looking out for people. "




JummD wrote on Oct 24, 2009 4:26 PM:

" Growing a few plants is what we tolerate for personal use. These are criminals that have been caught. They sell it.Thats a rcime. Kids, schools and the Crime and Burglaries are the reasons we put them in jail. This is not personal use. "




akpirate wrote on Oct 24, 2009 2:05 PM:

" Re: Alaskaveritas

Yes, I do understand how a grand jury works, point is its still pretty much a waste of time and tax monies. First time felony convictions for class C are no more than five yrs. Thats not to say they cut a deal. Who cares about pot convictions in AK really? it costs more to catch and prosecute growers than its worth. Prosecuting them for tax evasion would be far more profitable for the state than a conviction for possession. "




More Wasted Trooper Time wrote on Oct 24, 2009 1:31 PM:

" Alaskaveritas: It seems that you work for either the task force or troopers and are trying to justify all of your wasted time. If you guys are too scared to go after the real criminals maybe you should bring in some real people... As I said before my gun got stolen from my house and is out on the streets, Maybe spend less time on Pot growers and get the peices of crap low lifes off the streets. These guys weren't hurting anyone. "




More Wasted Trooper Time wrote on Oct 24, 2009 11:20 AM:

" This is just another fine example of our tax dollars being wasted. We got people out breaking into houses steling guns and the troopers don't even want to come out and take a report they want to do it over the phone. But someone wants to grow a little pot and they'll rush right out. I've never known people to be out breaking into houses to steal stuff for pot, usually it's for heroin and stuff. So maybe we should worry about that and leave the pot heads alone. And to be clear I don't smoke pot myself. "




Alaskaveritas wrote on Oct 24, 2009 10:30 AM:

" akpirate - MICS IV is a Class C Felony. It is a serious charge. However, many times in these cases, further charges are filed or are sent to Grand Jury prior to charges being forwarded. Sometimes, lesser charges are forwarded initially in order to get people in custody and on release conditions. Then the investigation continues on the case and may result in other charges. The MATSU drug unit and other agencies really do know what they are doing. "




Fed up wrote on Oct 24, 2009 8:35 AM:

" Notice there hasn't been any Valley meth lab busts reported in the past year or so. The commandos must have eliminated every one of them and I commend them for that. Yep, not one meth lab left in the valley. Sure have heard about a lot of pot busts though. I guess the yahoos have to have something to justify their salaries.
Also I have to wonder how many firearms they stole from these hardened criminals after they kicked their doors down to steal their plants. Good job pot commandos. We all feel so much safer now. "




Former Alaskan wrote on Oct 24, 2009 4:16 AM:

" As a former Alaskan and current cop, let me say two things. First These people have no connection to Kendra Butts. Her dad Allan died when she was about 15. That is when she started her spiral downward. No excuse though for her behavior. Second, if we just legalize pot, we as law enforcement officers can concentrate on the bigger issues. Meth and alcohol, domestic violence, child molesters and so on. I have yet to encounter a violent pot head! I have fought too many meth monkeys though!! Legalize pot. "




Spankles wrote on Oct 24, 2009 4:12 AM:

" Smoking mother nature is better than drugs and alchohol. Leave us good stoner folk be. "




Uncle Jed wrote on Oct 24, 2009 3:56 AM:

" These people are not criminals! Buds are good for everyone. It's not a bad thing. "




Ridiculous wrote on Oct 24, 2009 2:19 AM:

" Stop busting people for marijuana! This is nothing more than a war by the government on its people. The only harm done by marijuana is done by the government. It's expensive to put people in jail, not to mention the costs associated with the police investigation. Imagine how much time they could have spent tracking down real crimes had they not been on this senseless raid. Shame on you, Troopers. "




akpirate wrote on Oct 24, 2009 1:14 AM:

" all that police work for 3 charges of FOURTH degree drug misconduct?? thats the real crime no mention of poundage, I'm guessing these were young plants that haven't matured yet.

great detective work there I'll say. "




Alaskaveritas wrote on Oct 24, 2009 1:13 AM:

" I think that it is laughable to see so many people on this blog who are opposed to these agencies busting drug dealers. Mary Jane?? Come on.

These drug dealers are no different than those who sell any other ilelgal drug. They need to go to jail.

We are a nation of laws. If you don't like the laws, run for legislature or move to another country. I am sure that La Familia or would like some moral support. Maybe you could even be the next Pablo. Ooh - he didn't end up so well. "




butts of talkeetna wrote on Oct 23, 2009 8:39 PM:

" any relation to that kendra butts of talkeetna who held the kids up at gunpoint last halloween?

great family. "




Lisnup wrote on Oct 23, 2009 7:20 PM:

" What a waste.......big deal.....park outside a local bar and arrest those dunk people that kill behind the wheel........AND the Meth labs......now those are the ones that are hurting our generation. Pot has nothing compared to Meth and Alcohol. "




Mary Jane wrote on Oct 23, 2009 4:08 PM:

" Hmmmm! All that time & effort and tax payer dollars spent on this high priority bust. How pathetic! With all the horrible things happening to good people this is
where their priorities are. In talkeetna you should concentrating on robberies.
Atleast sell the natural plants to California
and give the money back to the local community. I'm sure they need diesel for heating fuel. Darn, another connection gone. I'll bet they pinched some, you know they did! "




Maryjane wrote on Oct 23, 2009 2:52 PM:

" Until it is legal Keep putting them in jail. Lets pass a sales tax on it today. Go to jail and let the borough collect a tax on it. You can pay it from jail. "




Medical pot.... wrote on Oct 23, 2009 2:08 PM:

" Why busted? Surely the pot ws for for "medicinal" purposes. Apparently the AST didn't get the word from President Obama. "




legalize it wrote on Oct 23, 2009 1:05 PM:

" legalize it!!! "