If the nose knows, police in Orion may have uncovered a sizable marijuana grow operation.
According to Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McCabe, an Orion Township deputy was dispatched to the area of Central and Indianwood about 5 a.m. Thursday to check on a ‘suspicious circumstances? report ? a caller said the doors of a parked car were standing open.
When the deputy didn’t see any such vehicle in the area, McCabe said, he proceeded down Central to have a look, along with an officer from the Lake Orion Police Department, who heard the call come from Oakland County Dispatch and headed over to provide an assist, if necessary. The area is close to the village/township border.
After locating the car, its doors indeed open, the officers woke the homeowner, who noted nothing appeared to be missing from his vehicle.
Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh did not immediately return a call from the Review, but McCabe said when the Oakland County Deputy and the Lake Orion police officer were about the clear the scene, the deputy noted the ‘acrid odor of marijuana in the air.?
Based on visual observations, the deputy, who spent the last five years working on the sheriff’s Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET), he took his narcotics-trained dog out of the patrol car and walked the K9 a short distance to a neighboring home.
‘Right away the deputy noticed a couple of things,? McCabe said. ‘First he noticed there was no snow on the roof ? which is indicative of a grow operation. Then he noticed the windows were sealed off and had condensation forming ? also indicative of a grow operation. Then he went around back and looked at the electric meter, which was spinning like crazy ? again, indicative of a grow operation.?
McCabe said the deputy did ‘what any good cop would do? and called back to the command desk, who sent an on-call NET officer to the scene, while the Lake Orion officer called back to his own command.
But, while the original call came into Oakland County dispatch, the home in question is just inside the village.
‘We cleared the scene when (the Lake Orion Police Department) told us they didn’t want our help,? McCabe said, noting the OCSO offers various types of specialized support to essentially any department who requests it.
A neighbor, who said police were on the scene until after 4:15 p.m., noted a ‘youngish member of the LOPD standing in the (home’s) driveway for a long time like he was guarding it.?