Campaign Against Marijuana Planting
Campaign Against Marijuana Planting | |
---|---|
Active | 1983–present |
Country | United States |
Agency |
|
Type | multi-agency law enforcement task force |
Role |
|
Operations jurisdiction |
|
Headquarters | Sacramento, California |
Abbreviation | CAMP |
Website | |
CAMP Website |
The Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) is a multi-agency law enforcement task force managed by the California Department of Justice and composed of local, state and federal agencies organized expressly to eradicate illegal cannabis cultivation and trafficking in California.[1] Since its establishment in 1983, more than 110[2] agencies having participated, making CAMP one of the largest law enforcement task force in the United States.
CAMP's stated primary objectives include "reducing the supply of marijuana to the illegal drug trade by eradicating the large marijuana crop sites; increasing public and environmental safety by removing marijuana growers from public and private lands; investigating indoor growing operations; deterring potential growers; and promoting public information and education on marijuana."[3][4]
CAMP agents are divided into five teams covering Northern, Central and Southern California regions. Headed by the California Department of Justice, CAMP includes local, state and federal agencies that work to eradicate illegal indoor and outdoor cannabis cultivation and trafficking throughout California. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, California National Guard, California State Parks, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Highway Patrol and dozens of local police and sheriff departments from across the state have participated in the program.
The
From 1988 to 1996, the C-RAT (CAMP Reconnaissance and Arrest Team) program, headquartered in Redding, trained specialized teams of agents run by California Highway Patrol traffic officers and in its first years also consisted of agents from, California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, California Department of Corrections SERT, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and ATF.[6] Upon request from local sheriffs, C-RAT teams conducted surveillance, documented garden cultivation and arrested suspects on marijuana grow sites.[7]
Some small communities in Northern California, especially in the Emerald Triangle region, have complained about CAMP's presence in general and their aerial surveillance operations in particular.[4][8] The effectiveness of CAMP's aerial surveillance in the 1980s, had been credited by some with forcing growers indoors in the 1990s.[9][10] Also in response to stronger asset forfeiture laws, larger trespass grows on federal land, especially national forests, began to proliferate and CAMP in turn started to focus on the largest grows on federal land.[11][12]
Rank structure
CAMP Rank | Department of Justice Title |
---|---|
CAMP Special Agent in Charge | Special Agent in Charge |
Operations Commander | Special Agent Supervisor |
Regional Operations Commander | Special Agent |
Assistant Regional Operations Commander/Team Leader | Special Agent |
CAMP Officer | Officer |
List of former CAMP Incident Commanders/Special Agents in Charge
- Bob Elsburg – Incident Commander (1983)
- Jack Beecham – Incident Commander (1984–1989)
- Carolyn McIntyre – Special Agent in Charge (1990)
- Dale Ferranto – Special Agent in Charge (1991–1995)
- Dave Mansfield – Operations Commander (1991–1993)
- Walt Kaiser – Operations Commander (1994–1997)
- Mitch Brown – Special Agent in Charge (1996–1997)
- JT Taylor – Special Agent in Charge (1998–1999)
- Gil Van Attenhoven – Operations Commander (1998–1999)
- Rick Oules – Special Agent in Charge (2000–2001)
- Sonya Arriaga-Barna – Operations Commander (2000–2003)
- Ron Gravitt – Special Agent in Charge (2002–2003)
- Dave Tresmontan – Acting Chief (2003–2004)
- James Parker – Senior Agent in Charge (2004–2005)
- Val R. Jimenez – Operations Commander (2003–2005)
- Michael Johnson – Operations Commander (2005–2009)
- Jack Nelsen – Operations Commander (2019–2020)
Compassionate Use Act
In 1996, California voters approved
While the influence of CAMP has waned since the Compassionate Use Act and later
Eradication and Prevention of Illicit Cannabis
In October 2022, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that CAMP, a seasonal eradication program, will transition into a year-long task force called the Eradication and Prevention of Illicit Cannabis, or EPIC.[14] The agencies that worked with CAMP in 2022 include the California Department of Justice, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, California National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Central Valley HIDTA, California State Parks, and numerous local law enforcement agencies.[15]
In popular culture
- The first national television coverage of marijuana eradication in Humboldt County, including footage of a raid by CAMP's predecessor the Northern California Sinsemilla Task Force, aired on CBS Evening News May 16, 1979.
- In the promotional material for the 1986 film Quiet Cool, CAMP had a flyer with advice for what to do if you encounter a marijuana grow in the forest, a situation that occurs in the film.[16][17]
- A 1987 comedy sci-fi feature film, filmed and produced in Garberville, "Ganjasaurus Rex," parodied CAMP and their enforcement in Southern Humboldt County.
- Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland depicts a fictional version of CAMP as one of the main antagonists.
- The June 1993 National Geographic Magazineissue featured CAMP teams in Mendocino County.
- Real Stories of the Highway Patrol followed Humboldt County's CAMP team in 1995 and two episodes aired in February 1996.[19]
- The German Television USA news magazine Mendocino County.
- 60 Minutes II ran a segment title "The Patton of Pot" on then CAMP Commander Sonya Barna, which aired on CBS in 2001.
- DEA Special Agent in Charge Javier Peña was the lead DEA agent for CAMP from 2004 to 2008, while he ran the San Francisco DEA Office.
- Discovery Channel's Pot Cops followed the Humboldt County Drug Task Force, who works closely with CAMP.
- California Department of Fish and Game, and multiple episodes followed the game wardens and local sheriff deputies on marijuana raids on National Forest land, conducted in conjunction with CAMP.
- The 2013 book Humboldt: Life on America's Marijuana Frontier by Emily Brady, written about the marijuana industry in Humboldt County and the surrounding Emerald Triangle, makes multiple references to CAMP enforcement operations in Humboldt County.[20]
- Hulu's Sasquatch and Netflix's Murder Mountain both feature footage of CAMP in the 1980s and interview marijuana growers and former CAMP officers including CAMP Commander Dale Ferranto, CAMP Officer Mark Saiz and CAMP Officer and former Humboldt County Sheriff Mike Downey.
- Mendocino County, wrote about CAMP in Lookout! Magazine, his 2013 book Spy Rock Memories, and multiple songs for his band The Lookouts.[21]
- CAMP has been referenced in multiple songs by Humboldt County musicians, including Darryl Cherney and Rod Deal & The I-Deals.
- For decades, the
- In 1985, CAMP coined Emerald Triangle as a name for Humboldt, Mendocino, and Trinity counties in Northern California.
See also
- Gonzales v. Raich
- War on Drugs
- Office of National Drug Control Policy
References
- New York Times. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ "CAMP Final Report 1988" (PDF). California Department of Justice. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
- ^ "Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) | State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General". Ag.ca.gov. Archived from the original on 2011-03-20. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
- ^ a b Lindsey, Robert (September 14, 1986). "Nipping a Bountiful Marijuana Crop". New York Times. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ Steele, Dennis (1996). "Fighting the War on Drugs". United States Army Combat Forces Journal. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
- ISBN 978-0-9891-9632-1.
- ^ "CAMP Final Report 1992" (PDF). California Department of Justice. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
- ^ "War on Marijuana Draws Complaints in California". New York Times. September 19, 1994. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ Miller, Jeffrey (June 2, 1989). "Indoor Marijuana Crop Part of Growing Trend". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ del Barco, Maldalit (December 1, 2009). "California Officials Target Big Marijuana Growers". NPR. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ Rodriguez, Olga R. (August 15, 2003). "State Crackdown Nets $400 Million in Marijuana Plants". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ Burke, Adam (May 14, 2005). "Cartels Use Sequoia National Forest to Grow Pot". NPR. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ a b Marijuana Research Collection, Series: CAMP Reports collection =. Arcata, CA: Humboldt State University Special Collections, Humboldt State University.
- ^ "Attorney General Bonta Announces Eradication of Nearly One Million Cannabis Plants as Part of Interagency Effort to Combat Illegal Market". oag.ca.gov. October 11, 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
- ^ "California expands effort to eradicate illegal marijuana growing". PBS. October 12, 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
- ^ Demyanenko, David (November 14, 1986). "New marijuana film goes up in smoke". UCLA Daily Bruin. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ Roth, Michelle (November 17, 1986). "Marijuana fields becoming increasingly popular". Beachcomber. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ "The Emerald Triangle Community Study" (PDF). Humboldt State University. Fall 2015. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
- ^ "Real Stories of the Highway Patrol - Drug Busts". Internet Archive. 1996. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
- ^ Harkinson, Josh (June 27, 2013). "Quick Reads: "Humboldt" by Emily Brady". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
- ^ Dang, Katy (July 5, 2013). "Spy Rock Memories: The Life of Lookout's Larry Livermore". Rocker. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
- ^ Anderson, Glenda (April 25, 2010). "Garberville's KMUD radio alerts: Helpful or dangerous?". PressDemocrat.com. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
- ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved May 21, 2019.