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Campaign Against Marijuana Planting

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Campaign Against Marijuana Planting
Active1983–present
CountryUnited States
Agency
Typemulti-agency law enforcement task force
Role
Operations jurisdictionCalifornia
HeadquartersSacramento, California
AbbreviationCAMP
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 California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, California Office of Emergency Services, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, California Department of Forestry, National Park Service, Internal Revenue Service, California Department of Transportation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, FBI, US Customs, US Marshals Service, California Franchise Tax Board, California Department of Corrections SERT, California Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Major Frauds, Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud, California Department of Agriculture, California Department of Motor Vehicles, Sixth United States Army Joint Task Force, Fifth United States Army Joint Task Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Air Force Civil Air Patrol, United States Coast Guard, United States Navy, Western States Information Network, and California National Guard "Team Wolf"[5] have all participated in past CAMP operations.

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

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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

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  • 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

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In 1996, California voters approved ballot proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act, legalizing the medical use of cannabis. As a consequence, CAMP's commander, a California law-enforcement officer, was specifically ordered by the state attorney general to respect the state's medical marijuana laws in the course of his duties. Consequently, CAMP shifted priority to large commercial grow operations on public lands, and coordinates with county authorities so as not to interfere with medical grow operations known to them, which in any event tend to be smaller. Nevertheless, such operations are still against Federal law and are subject to action by the DEA.

While the influence of CAMP has waned since the Compassionate Use Act and later decriminalization of marijuana, there is interest at the state level regarding valid growing permits and environmental concerns. As a result, CAMP is utilized as a policing body, in accordance with the DEA. Yearly CAMP reports, published by the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) are available online through Humboldt State University's Special Collections.[13] Beginning in 1983, the annual reports detail the organizational structure and names of individual participants, a summary of the season's activities, tactics, and mention of special successes, trends and hazards.[13]

Eradication and Prevention of Illicit Cannabis

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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] EPIC works closely with the Governor's Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce, which is jointly run by the Department of Cannabis Control and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and coordinated by the Cal OES Homeland Security Division. [16]

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  • 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.[17][18]
  • A 1987 comedy sci-fi feature film, filmed and produced in Garberville, "Ganjasaurus Rex," parodied CAMP and their enforcement in Southern Humboldt County.
  • CAMP was featured in "Home Grown High", a 1989 episode of 48 Hours, as well at ABC News.[19]
  • CAMP was also a character in three novel in the mid 1980s: T. C. Boyle's 1984 book Budding Prospects, Steve Chapple's 1984 book Outlaws in Babylon: Shocking True Stories on the Marijuana Frontier and Ray Raphael's 1985 book Cash Crop: An American Dream.
  • 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.
  • 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.[21]
  • 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.
  • CAMP has been referenced in multiple songs by Humboldt County musicians, including Darryl Cherney and Rod Deal & The I-Deals.
  • For decades, the Garberville radio station KMUD has broadcast the location of law enforcement activities, including CAMP, to warn local residents.[23][24]
  • In 1985, CAMP coined Emerald Triangle as a name for Humboldt, Mendocino, and Trinity counties in Northern California.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Schneider, Keith (January 26, 1988). "Garberville Journal; Marijuana Once Reigned as the King". New York Times. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  2. ^ "CAMP Final Report 1988" (PDF). California Department of Justice. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ a b Lindsey, Robert (September 14, 1986). "Nipping a Bountiful Marijuana Crop". New York Times. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  5. ^ Steele, Dennis (1996). "Fighting the War on Drugs". United States Army Combat Forces Journal. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  6. ^ Livermore, Larry (2013). Spy Rock Memories. Don Giovanni Records. ISBN 978-0-9891-9632-1.
  7. ^ "CAMP Final Report 1992" (PDF). California Department of Justice. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  8. ^ "War on Marijuana Draws Complaints in California". New York Times. September 19, 1994. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  9. ^ Miller, Jeffrey (June 2, 1989). "Indoor Marijuana Crop Part of Growing Trend". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  10. ^ del Barco, Maldalit (December 1, 2009). "California Officials Target Big Marijuana Growers". NPR. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  11. ^ Rodriguez, Olga R. (August 15, 2003). "State Crackdown Nets $400 Million in Marijuana Plants". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  12. ^ Burke, Adam (May 14, 2005). "Cartels Use Sequoia National Forest to Grow Pot". NPR. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  13. ^ a b Marijuana Research Collection, Series: CAMP Reports collection =. Arcata, CA: Humboldt State University Special Collections, Humboldt State University.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ "California expands effort to eradicate illegal marijuana growing". PBS. October 12, 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  16. ^ "Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce (UCETF)". Department of Cannabis Control. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  17. ^ Demyanenko, David (November 14, 1986). "New marijuana film goes up in smoke". UCLA Daily Bruin. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  18. ^ Roth, Michelle (November 17, 1986). "Marijuana fields becoming increasingly popular". Beachcomber. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  19. ^ "The Emerald Triangle Community Study" (PDF). Humboldt State University. Fall 2015. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  20. ^ "Real Stories of the Highway Patrol - Drug Busts". Internet Archive. 1996. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  21. ^ Harkinson, Josh (June 27, 2013). "Quick Reads: "Humboldt" by Emily Brady". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  22. ^ Dang, Katy (July 5, 2013). "Spy Rock Memories: The Life of Lookout's Larry Livermore". Rocker. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  23. ^ 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.
  24. ^ Witt, Emily (May 20, 2019). "How Legalization Changed Humboldt County Marijuana". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
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