AfterGlow
Bluelighter
Festivalgoers given chance to dump drugs
'Amnesty cans' give chance to get rid of contraband
Denise Goolsby • The Desert Sun • April 26, 2008
Those attending the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival packing pot, pills or other illicit drugs found they can ditch their stash without fear of arrest on the way into the festival grounds.
However, there are no free passes if they're caught using drugs inside the venue.
All festivalgoers are searched by security personnel. If someone is found to be in possession of a controlled substance, the offender has the option to toss the contraband into an "amnesty can."
Two "amnesty cans" - padlocked, black metal trash barrels placed near the festival entrance at Empire Polo Club - give festivalgoers one last opportunity to get rid of drugs, weapons or anything else that could be harmful to the health and safety of the crowds.
"If drugs or paraphernalia are found, they're asked to put it into the can," an event supervisor said while working the search line. "If they refuse, they'll get to deal with the police."
"It's a second chance," said Fred Fierro, task force commander for the Coachella Valley Narcotics Task Force. "We want you to have a good time, we don't want you to get arrested."
The amnesty cans are the brainchildren of Indio Police Sgt. Randy LaValle and Capt. Joseph Roberts, said Ben Guitron, department spokesman.
The cans are checked and emptied periodically. The drugs will be destroyed, Guitron said.
Used for the first time last year, the cans yielded a sizeable haul at the 2007 festival, including 1,013 tablets of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, 457 marijuana cigarettes and 300 paper tabs of LSD.
"We're always looking for alternative methods to address certain issues," Guitron said.
That doesn't mean law enforcement officers are going to turn a blind eye to illicit activity inside the festival grounds.
"If we see somebody blatantly using or selling illegal drugs, it will be addressed," Guitron said.
Those arrested will not be allowed to return to the festival, Guitron said.
Some festivalgoers coming through the search line Friday said they liked the amnesty can concept.
"I think it's a pretty good idea," said Matthew Fenton, 38, of Cincinnati. "It's nice to have the alternative."
Fenton, who's attending his third Coachella, acknowledged there will always be people who'll try to sidestep the law.
Those who are determined to take drugs into the festival, "are counting on not getting caught," he said.
Drugs they collected
According to police, among the drugs attendees gave up last year:
1,013 tablets of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
457 marijuana cigarettes.
400 cigarettes stained with PCP.
300 paper tabs of LSD.
254 grams of marijuana.
97 tablets of Ecstasy.
51 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms.
46 grams of cocaine.
7 grams of crystal meth.
2 milliliters of codeine with syringes.
1 milliliter of morphine.
link
'Amnesty cans' give chance to get rid of contraband
Denise Goolsby • The Desert Sun • April 26, 2008
Those attending the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival packing pot, pills or other illicit drugs found they can ditch their stash without fear of arrest on the way into the festival grounds.
However, there are no free passes if they're caught using drugs inside the venue.
All festivalgoers are searched by security personnel. If someone is found to be in possession of a controlled substance, the offender has the option to toss the contraband into an "amnesty can."
Two "amnesty cans" - padlocked, black metal trash barrels placed near the festival entrance at Empire Polo Club - give festivalgoers one last opportunity to get rid of drugs, weapons or anything else that could be harmful to the health and safety of the crowds.
"If drugs or paraphernalia are found, they're asked to put it into the can," an event supervisor said while working the search line. "If they refuse, they'll get to deal with the police."
"It's a second chance," said Fred Fierro, task force commander for the Coachella Valley Narcotics Task Force. "We want you to have a good time, we don't want you to get arrested."
The amnesty cans are the brainchildren of Indio Police Sgt. Randy LaValle and Capt. Joseph Roberts, said Ben Guitron, department spokesman.
The cans are checked and emptied periodically. The drugs will be destroyed, Guitron said.
Used for the first time last year, the cans yielded a sizeable haul at the 2007 festival, including 1,013 tablets of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, 457 marijuana cigarettes and 300 paper tabs of LSD.
"We're always looking for alternative methods to address certain issues," Guitron said.
That doesn't mean law enforcement officers are going to turn a blind eye to illicit activity inside the festival grounds.
"If we see somebody blatantly using or selling illegal drugs, it will be addressed," Guitron said.
Those arrested will not be allowed to return to the festival, Guitron said.
Some festivalgoers coming through the search line Friday said they liked the amnesty can concept.
"I think it's a pretty good idea," said Matthew Fenton, 38, of Cincinnati. "It's nice to have the alternative."
Fenton, who's attending his third Coachella, acknowledged there will always be people who'll try to sidestep the law.
Those who are determined to take drugs into the festival, "are counting on not getting caught," he said.
Drugs they collected
According to police, among the drugs attendees gave up last year:
1,013 tablets of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
457 marijuana cigarettes.
400 cigarettes stained with PCP.
300 paper tabs of LSD.
254 grams of marijuana.
97 tablets of Ecstasy.
51 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms.
46 grams of cocaine.
7 grams of crystal meth.
2 milliliters of codeine with syringes.
1 milliliter of morphine.
link
