ILLEGAL DRUGS COMING INTO THE CITY OF PLEASANTON IS A BIG CONCERN FOR CITY LEADERS. SO MUCH SO THAT FOLLOWING A PUBLIC HEARING ON MONDAY, DURING THEIR REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING AND AFTER HEARING FROM TWO CITY RESIDENTS, THE PLEASANTON CITY COUNCIL VOTED 3-1 TO APPROVE THE ANNEXATION OF A ONE AND HALF MILE SECTION OF U.S. HIGHWAY 69 FOR THE PURPOSES OF PATROLLING THAT AREA AND KEEPING DRUGS FROM ENTERING THE CITY.
CITY RESIDENT ANGELINA RANDALL SPOKE TO THE COUNCIL AND ASKED THEM TO RETHINK THE ANNEXATION. SHE ASKED IF CITY OFFICERS WERE TRAINED TO HANDLE STOPS OF THAT NATURE AND IN FORFEITURE LAWS, AND OTHER RELATED TOPICS. RANDALL WENT ON TO STATE THAT ONE BAD STOP COULD BANKRUPT THE CITY, SAYING THAT IF POLICE SEIZED MONEY FROM SOMEONE THAT IT WAS LEGAL FOR THEM TO HAVE, COULD THE CITY HANDLE THE LAWSUITS THAT WOULD COME FROM THE CASE?
RANDALL ALSO QUESTIONED CITY ATTORNEY BURTON HARDING AND ASKED HOW MANY DRUG CASES FROM THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE ACTUALLY ORIGINATED FROM STOPS ON 69 HIGHWAY THAT HE HAD FULLY PROSECUTED. HARDING RESPONDED, SAYING THAT AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE WERE NOT MANY AS MOST COME FROM REGULAR TRAFFIC STOPS MADE BY DEPUTIES AND CITY OFFICERS BOTH.
