Sheriff talks gangs and pot licenses
From left, Grant County Undersheriff Dave Ponozzo, Sheriff Tom Jones and Commissioner Richard Stevens talk about gang violence.
EPHRATA - Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones talked to commissioners about gang violence and marijuana permits at his regularly scheduled meeting this week.
He said the sheriff's office might request additional money from the county to pay for security cameras similar to ones in Mattawa to monitor in high-crime neighborhoods like the Larson Housing area.
He also said he reassigned deputies to the Larson Housing area in light of the recent gang shootings and murder of a Moses Lake teen. That has stretched his department thin, leaving only the mandatory minimum number of deputies at other locations, he said.
"I see this whole thing like fighting a fire. We got a fire that's happening here and we need to get the guys in there and fight it," commission chairwoman Carolann Swartz said.
He said he is always looking into preventing gang affiliation and violence and will help residents in the area start a neighborhood watch program and encourage them to immediately clean up graffiti that may be gang-related.
Swartz also asked Jones about permits for growing marijuana that his office is sending to commissioners for approval.
Swartz said that while the Washington Liquor Control Board issues permits to grow, process and sell marijuana, the county still has a say in who receives those permits.
She said potential growers have two obstacles in Grant County.
They must grow the marijuana in an area of the county that is zoned for agriculture use and the applicant must not have an extensive criminal record or many drug-related charges.
After Jones' office does criminal background checks on applicants, he makes a determination if that person is fit to receive a grow permit. He forwards applications that he has approved to the commissioners who sign and approve it at the county level. Applicants will still need a state license, Swartz said.