Posted on 06/26/2014 11:51:06 AM PDT by maine yankee
As it turns out, a number of SWAT teams in the Bay State are operated by what are called law enforcement councils, or LECs. These LECs are funded by several police agencies in a given geographic area and overseen by an executive board, which is usually made up of police chiefs from member police departments -------------- Some of these LECs have also apparently incorporated as 501(c)(3) organizations. And its here that we run into problems. According to the ACLU, the LECs are claiming that the 501(c)(3) status means that theyre private corporations, not government agencies.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
No.
wouldn’t that eliminate the protection from lawsuits since they are not government agents, but private employees?
SO... next time they raid the wrong house, sue them into oblivion.
“A *corporation* neutralized your attack pug, sir —we can’t help you.”
Doesn’t seem like it.
As well, can they be funded by taxpayer dollars as private entities?
Sic the IRS on them as inherently conservative organizations. They know how to handle 501c3 terrorists!
Private corporations using public funds? That’s not how it works.
If this is true, why can’t I start my own SWAT team?
Yeah...that was MY thought...
Sounds like they’ve opened the door to a claim that they don’t share the state’s `sovereign immunity’.
They can’t be agents of the state and not agents of the state at the same time.
If it does, we have a big problem if this is allowed to stand.
What a bunch of absolute fascist crap!
Head —> Desk
“SO... next time they raid the wrong house, sue them into oblivion.”
After you win, you could seize a lot of great toys too to pay the judgment.
If they are claiming private corporate status to shield themselves from open records don’t they also give up considerable power?
What other private corporation can conduct no knock raids on private citizens?
What other private corporation can equip their employees with unlicensed (IAW Federal gun control laws) fully automatic weapons?
What other private corporation can freely violate state gun control laws (assault weapons, large capacity magazines, etc) with impunity?
What other corporation get pro bono use of state and county legal facilities and personnel?
And the list goes on and on.
I would love to see some legal group take these SWAT corporations to court with the idea of CONFIRMING their status as a private corporation. Then, immediately sue the counties they are operating in for failing to equally enforce various Federal and state gun laws.
But apparently they are private corporations that can bust down your door, shoot your dog, handcuff you and force you to watch him bleed out. Since when is that a thing?
I’m having flashbacks to WKRP in Cincinnati when Johnny Fever destroyed a phone, heard sirens and went running out of the room screaming about the phone cops coming to get him.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.