Marijuana smoking

[ppdgirlbm79]

i just have a question about marijuana smoking. i work at a hotel and we have people occasionaly making complaints about the smell of marijuana coming from certain rooms. should we call the cops? or should we just mind our own business. I am going to school to be a police officer, and I think that we should. but the people i work with and the management don't think so.
what should we be doing. I mean I know the police in my town are busy, but is this something that we should be dealing with. we have a certain guest that stays with us alot, gets alot of calls, and people in and out of their room, and alot of complaints about the smell or marijuana coming from his room. WHAT DO I DO???? (I'm thinking this could be a big drug bust, cause I think he's moving stuff alot in and out of there.)

[chaser266]

I think you should call the police, especially if you have a repeat offender. If there's a lot of traffic in/out of the room , maybe it's more than casual marijuana smoking. While the police may be busy in your area, I think addressing drug issues is one of the most important parts of the job -- they should be eager to put an end to it.

It seems irresponsible of the hotel management not to want to call police. If the hotel was in Virginia and had an alcoholic beverage license, they could be jeopardizing the license by knowingly failing to report drug use on the premises. I don't know what the laws are in your state though....

[Deputy Joe]

I don't think I would return to a hotel if they didn't do anything about the dopers in the next room. I really don't want to expose my kiddies to the smell of MJ. I would think of the legit customers. Sounds like you are not in a position to do anything about it. Kind of a tough spot.

I would call the police, anonymously. Call the crime stoppers line. Let them know what is going on. Give them the guys vehicle plates.

Ultimately, it is up to you.

[Don]

I agree (in this instance) with the anonymous phone call. Probably NOT from a hotel phone. Sounds like you need to CYA on this.

Hotel management could be reluctant to take action for any number of reasons:
1) Retaliation
2) Don't want to upset a paying guest.
3) The folks in that room may be the hotel management's dope connection. Not a joke, very possible!

In any case, right now you don't need to put yourself at risk. Go with the anonymous phone call.

Under normal circumstances, I don't like the anonymous phone call bit. However your circumstances are somewhat less than "normal."

[ppdgirlbm79]

Thank you all for your responses. Last night we had a big problem with this guest. I called the cops annonymously, come to find out the information I had given them matched him to another hotel, that he had been kicked out of, and he used a false ID and false credit card. the cops came, busted him, found him with LARGE amounts of cash and drugs. I felt really good about it, and the management tried to act like they were unaware of the problem. from now on, I'm doing this on my own. I'm not going through the management. I spoke to one of the officers, and they told me I did the right thing, If I think the management does not agree, then in my case, I am going to school to go into law enforcement, I should be doing i feel is the right thing to do.
Again I appreciate ALL of your help.

thanks so much.
I'll keep you posted on our next problem

Beth

[Tprspouse]

quote:

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but the people i work with and the management don't think so

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I would smell the managements' breath! LOL :eek

[Don]

quote:

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Originally posted by ppdgirlbm79:
I'll keep you posted on our next problem

Beth

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Never a dull moment in this business is there Beth! Not QUITE as much fun as LE, but it does have its moments!

[Ron1432]

Good for you Beth.

[ppdgirlbm79]

I actually like working at the hotel, because it helps me work with people of all different sorts. I see alot different things happening, and run into some real jerks believe it or not. The verbal skills that I have learned in this job, i know will take me far. I've experienced alot so far growing up around people trying to get me to do drugs but I never did. I didn't realize I wanted to go into law enforcement until i got into the hotel business. I have a passion for protecting the community i live in. And I really can not wait until I get my foot in the door, because from then on, law enforcement will bring out the best in me. I've done alot of ride alongs with the department i plan to work for, and it is amazing the things that they do, and the feeling that you get watching them is just unreal. I really cannot wait to feel those same things. listening to the FTO describe his job, and what he loves about it, is exactly the way that I feel, and I'm not even a cop yet.
But working in the hotel business, i have found my passion for investigating, and watching people and remembering everyhthing that I saw. A good eye is really key when it comes to LE, and I have the mouth to back it up. I have very good verbal skills with people, and I have a good heart. I just hope i don't get stuck solving crimes in hotels all of the time. Thanks guys

[IPDBrad]

GOOD JOB!

When I worked as a civilian in Zoning we had several hotels brought to our attention by the police. They were having problems with drug use/dealing and prostitution. Afterall, the whores need a worksite, and dealers need a place to stay when they are bringing in product.

We ended up using Health/Hospital, Zoning, Fire Codes to shut some down, and put others on probation and possible closure.

In Indianapolis, Hotels are required to operate under a license, lose the license, lose the business. Hotel Management that turns a blind eye, or nose, to illegal activity is simply enabling it and thus our operating illegally themselves.

The hotels around here that have that activity tend to be dives, but it has happened in nicer places to.

The police may even know of the activity, but just do not have good intel on when it is occuring and the exact suspects and room.

Again, good job.

[ppdgirlbm79]

quote:

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Originally posted by IPDBrad:
Hotel Management that turns a blind eye, or nose, to illegal activity is simply enabling it and thus our operating illegally themselves.

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So are you saying that when the management says they can'd do anything if they smell marijuanna smoking in the hallway and know the specific room it is coming from, they have to do something, because like you said, if they turn their nose, they they are allowing it to happen. I need to really let them know that they are messing up when they don't do anything. I mean i get really frustrated when people allow that stuff to happen, and that is what bothers me about working in a hotel, because i have seen prostitutes come to the hotel, and i know what door they come in, I know which guests they come in to see, but it's hard to do anything, because why should I be doing it when there is management and security there to do it. when i tell them, they are like what do you expect me to do? It's very frustrating. People don't know what to do, and when someone under them tells them what they should be doing, they just blow it off.
I am really looking forward to becoming a police officer, because I Want to help design programs where people have like a tip list, on what to do and what not to do. You know, like when to call the cops, and when to mind your own business (which if you notice something occuring in your presence, then it is bothering you somehow, so something would need to be done if it was something illegal).
Alright I'm rambling, I will wait til someone responds. thanks everyone

[Don]

The more you post here, the more concerned I am about you "getting in over you head" where you are working. If your management KNOWS that there is dope and prostitution going on in the establishment, and they are doing NOTHING about it, then likely as not they are a part of it.

I would strongly suggest that you may want to change employers. If (for whatever reason) you decide not to do this, then I suggest that you just keep your mouth shut about what you are seeing here. Let me clarify that. Keep your mouth shut TO YOUR MANAGEMENT. You may be putting yourself in danger.

If you feel like "dropping a dime" go ahead and do it. But don't let your management catch you at it. I hope that you take this post very seriously. I also hope that my reaction here is an "over-reaction," but I sure don't like what I'm reading from you. I really do think you may be in or be getting in over your head.

[Dennis_C]

ANyone who smokes cannabis is an idiot and idiots should be dealt with, not have a blind eye turned on them.

If a person is dumb enough to allow this to happen in their own hotel, they too are a different kind of idiot and also should be dealt with.

(Try replacing the word 'idiot' with 'criminal' if none of this makes sense, they are the same thing in essence)

Just my 2 cents...

[ppdgirlbm79]

I totally understand what both of you (don and Dennis_C are saying.
I have noticed things getting worse with the change in the security in the hotel. I don't trust them, and they are "stupid to what is going on". I have actually gotten promoted to the overnight shift and that is when alot of things are exposed.
I don't think that the management is involved, if anything i think all they care about is that the people pay their bill.
I would love to leave this job, but I am waiting to apply for the police department here. I am still in school and I plan to do my internship with ppd, and complete the pre-LE course training.
As soon as that time nears, I am definately out of there.
I don't want to dissapoint you and make you think that I am getting in over my head. I just want to get out of there.
Thank you for your responses. I really do appreciate them.