utbagpiper
Banned
Not directly related to OC. But likely of some concern to those of us who are prepared to defend ourselves and family from home invasions.
Troubling article about a case of no-knock warrants right here in Utah:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-02-14-noknock14_ST_N.htm
Short of a known hostage situation, I'm having a hard time seeing a justification for no-knock warrants, especially for something like drugs. Ignoring completely any question about whether our current tactics to fight drug use is the best approach, there remain serious questions in my mind about the need for no-knock warrants especially in drug cases.
If there are so few drugs involved that they can be destroyed with a single toilet flush there are not enough drugs present to justify a no-knock, forced entry. If there are enough drugs to warrant such an entry, there are too many to destroy quickly and so what is the need for the no-knock entry? Turn off the water to residence, announce yourself, and give the occupants a couple of minutes to get to the door. And maybe wear full uniforms and have your face visible. The Lone Ranger notwithstanding, when did honest peace officers start hiding their faces in a manner more befitting armed thugs and crooks than public servants?
Or maybe wait for the guy to leave the home to go grab a pizza and make an arrest away from his strong hold.
Even a blind hog roots out a few truffles and in this case, I think the ACLU is right on the money.
With the increased awareness (at least and maybe actual occurrances) of home invasion and of the invaders yelling things like "police", how is a decent, law-abiding citizen to know whether it is really the police or some home invasion? Bad info from some informant? Somebody misread the warrant and got the wrong door? Or bad guys looking to gain compliance?
I'd like to see the use of no-knock warrants significantly curtailed.
I was living in the Boston area about 17 years ago when bad information from an informant and lack of checking on the part of the cops lead to a no-knock warrant being executed at the apartment of a minister with zero drug involvement. The guy wasn't shot, but the totatlity of the events, including a boot on his back did lead to a heart attack that was just as deadly for him. That little mistake cost an innocent man his life and the taxpayers about $1 million in wrongful death settlement.
Anyway, any thoughts here? I kind of figure a professional police officer conducts himself a certain way and if someone is trying to enter my home in any other way, I probably better assume (since I'm not involved in any illegal conduct) that I'm facing a violent criminal until there is strong evidence to the contrary.
Charles
Troubling article about a case of no-knock warrants right here in Utah:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-02-14-noknock14_ST_N.htm
Short of a known hostage situation, I'm having a hard time seeing a justification for no-knock warrants, especially for something like drugs. Ignoring completely any question about whether our current tactics to fight drug use is the best approach, there remain serious questions in my mind about the need for no-knock warrants especially in drug cases.
If there are so few drugs involved that they can be destroyed with a single toilet flush there are not enough drugs present to justify a no-knock, forced entry. If there are enough drugs to warrant such an entry, there are too many to destroy quickly and so what is the need for the no-knock entry? Turn off the water to residence, announce yourself, and give the occupants a couple of minutes to get to the door. And maybe wear full uniforms and have your face visible. The Lone Ranger notwithstanding, when did honest peace officers start hiding their faces in a manner more befitting armed thugs and crooks than public servants?
Or maybe wait for the guy to leave the home to go grab a pizza and make an arrest away from his strong hold.
Even a blind hog roots out a few truffles and in this case, I think the ACLU is right on the money.
With the increased awareness (at least and maybe actual occurrances) of home invasion and of the invaders yelling things like "police", how is a decent, law-abiding citizen to know whether it is really the police or some home invasion? Bad info from some informant? Somebody misread the warrant and got the wrong door? Or bad guys looking to gain compliance?
I'd like to see the use of no-knock warrants significantly curtailed.
I was living in the Boston area about 17 years ago when bad information from an informant and lack of checking on the part of the cops lead to a no-knock warrant being executed at the apartment of a minister with zero drug involvement. The guy wasn't shot, but the totatlity of the events, including a boot on his back did lead to a heart attack that was just as deadly for him. That little mistake cost an innocent man his life and the taxpayers about $1 million in wrongful death settlement.
Anyway, any thoughts here? I kind of figure a professional police officer conducts himself a certain way and if someone is trying to enter my home in any other way, I probably better assume (since I'm not involved in any illegal conduct) that I'm facing a violent criminal until there is strong evidence to the contrary.
Charles