Police union to state lawmakers: Don't mess with no-knock warrants(GA)

WTOC.COM ^ | 1/21/2015 | Bernard Watson

[TangoLimaSierra]

ATLANTA-Carrie Mills is a retired Atlanta Police officer with 30 years on the job - primarily in APD's drug unit.

Mills is now a union rep for the International Brotherhood of Police Officers. She considers herself an expert on search warrants, particularly no knock warrants, which allows officers to enter a structure without knocking first.

Mills says no-knock warrants helped close a lot of cases while she was an officer.

"If we knock and announced, all evidence is going to be destroyed," Mills said.

State Sen. Vincent Fort, (D-39), has announced plans to introduce a bill that would make it harder to get no-knock warrants.

Fort says he was moved to introduce his bill after 19-month-old Bounkham "Bou Bou" Phonesavanh was seriously injured when a flash grenade exploded near his face during a botched drug raid involving a no-knock warrant in Habersham County.

"We are saying there should be restrictions on them and we think the situation in the recent past where they have been abused warrants that," Fort said.

But Mills doesn't agree.

"I don't think any changes are needed because it is not easy now," Mills said.

Mills says law makers should be careful what they ask for.

"You have to draw the line between your right as a citizen to privacy and a community's right to live in a crime-free environment. You can't have them both," Mills said.

Fort says he hopes a bipartisan bill addressing no knock warrants will be passed this year.

[mom of young patriots]

And they wonder why a lot of people have lost that warm and fuzzy feeling about the police with the guns...

[WayneS]

But, “the community” does not HAVE a “right to live in a crime-free environment”.

[Larry Lucido]

So what if they “destroy” the evidence? Let them flush it all - who cares (except for their wholesaler, who will still want to get paid).

Besides, you can pretty much only flush drugs. You can’t flush stolen engines and transmissions.

[MrB]

The problem is that there will be very few, if any, people who survive resisting a wrongful entry with any force,
much less with a firearm.

You fire a shot at a cop, even if they are breaking into your house, you’re dead. They’ll make sure of it.

[IYAS9YAS]

But, “the community” does not HAVE a “right to live in a crime-free environment”.

True.

[WayneS]

"You have to draw the line between your right as a citizen to privacy and a community's right to live in a crime-free environment. You can't have them both," Mills said.

The most anti-American quote I have seen so far this year.

But is IS early yet...

[Theoria]

[stephenjohnbanker]

BUMP that!!

[The Toll]

Thank the Democrat for trying to fix the problem.

Just d*mn.

[vette6387]

“You have to draw the line between your right as a citizen to privacy and a community’s right to live in a crime-free environment. You can’t have them both,” Mills said.

Here you go! The cops claim that you can’t be safe and free at the same time. Just unimaginable that someone can think like that and be given a gun.

[OneWingedShark]

What I'd like to see as a response to Police union to state lawmakers: Don't mess with no-knock warrants(GA) is State to police: Fuck your no-knock warrants — bust into someone's house or business w/o a warrant and you will personally pay them twice the cost of repairs.

But it really should be a non-issue; GA State Constitution says:

SECTION I, Paragraph XIII. Searches, seizures, and warrants.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated; and no warrant shall issue except upon probable cause supported by oath or affirmation particularly describing the place or places to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.

Paragraph II. Protection to person and property; equal protection.
Protection to person and property is the paramount duty of government and shall be impartial and complete. No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws.

[OneWingedShark]

I disagree — no no-knock warrant should exist. Period.

[WayneS]

“Those who would give up Essential Liberty
to purchase a little Temporary Safety,
deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

[Slings and Arrows]

You’re on the drug dealers’ side! /sarc

[WayneS]

I disagree.

It is not possible to have both.

To say otherwise is to deny the fallibility of mankind.

[gogeo]

She considers herself an expert on search warrants, particularly no knock warrants, which allows officers to enter a structure without knocking first.

An expert, she says?

How many has she experienced on the business end...the "home" side of the door?

As the union rep, has she planned the message to deliver to families due to the inevitable increase in service-related deaths as homeowners gear up for an event that is increasingly likely?

With so many home invasion style robberies, should a homeowner believe "POLICE!"

Are police lives the only lives that matter?

What is the appropriate penalty for a botched raid?

What say, you, Ms "expert?"

[USNBandit]

If there is so little dope in a house that they can flush it that fast, then it probably should have been done with a buy/bust and a follow on search warrant.

[Mariner]

"You have to draw the line between your right as a citizen to privacy and a community's right to live in a crime-free environment. You can't have them both," Mills said."

NONE OF US ARE ASKING FOR BOTH.

Hell, NOBODY IS.

Because there is no Community Right to a Crime Free Environment.

Never has been intended, much less endeavored for.

[zeugma]

"If we knock and announced, all evidence is going to be destroyed," Mills said.

If knocking on the door like a civilized person will allow the evidence to be destroyed, then there must have not been very much to find in the first place.

[goldi]

Wasn’t there an incident in Texas where a low-level criminal was surprised by a no-knock visit from the cops and he shot and killed one of them? The grand jury refused to indite him.