Posted on 07/27/2004 9:46:21 AM PDT by JOAT
TYRANNY ALERT!
OSHKOSH POLICE CONDUCT DOOR TO DOOR GUN CONFISCATIONS
Shooting of Oshkosh police officer results in knee jerk neighborhood gun grab
Oshkosh, Wis. -- Following the shooting of an Oshkosh police officer Saturday night, area residents were forced from their homes, their lawful firearms being confiscated by police.
The Oshkosh Police Department's Special Weapons and Tactics Unit responded to the area, with a K-9 police dog in pursuit of the perpetrator who was reported to have fled on foot.
Citizens' guns were seized through searches of area homes. The police promised to return the firearms after forensic tests proved they were not involved in the crime. The injured officer's name was withheld, but media reports indicate his condition is not life-threatening.
"The message is: Hand over your guns, now!" said Corey Graff, executive director of Wisconsin Gun Owners Inc. "This is a blatant case of guilty-until-proven-innocent and an abuse of police power."
Still, residents in the area are furious about the home invasions by police and what they see as theft of their property. Although early reports are unclear, they indicate a search warrant was issued for two homes, yet additional home owners also had firearms confiscated.
"We want the perpetrator of this crime caught and brought to justice just like everyone else," said Graff. "But that doesn't mean the police should trample citizens' 4th amendment protections, steal lawful private property and enter the home without reasonable suspicion or warrant."
One homeowner in the area said his guns were taken by police, guns that hadn't left his gun safe since last hunting season. Another victim of the police searches -- an elderly women -- reported waking up to officers' searching her home in the early morning hours.
The Oshkosh Northwestern reported, "Residents were not being allowed to return to their homes by press time."
The very serious charges the original post makes are not supported by the wbay.com story. If these illegal searches and confiscations did take place they should be prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law, but let's not fly off the handle before the facts are in.
Yes, but it sounds as though the pot-growing operation was uncovered while the owners were away, meaning they did not give consent. Any lawyer worth his salt--in fact, any lawyer who stayed half-sober during his first year of law school--should be able to get this tossed.
Having a search warrant certainly helps with admissibility:
"We won't know until Wednesday what police removed from the Jungwirth's house. That's when the search warrant will be returned to the Clerk of Courts office."
They are lucky that more officers weren't shot as a result of this illegal activity.
The third link does say that SWAT took guns from at least two homes, promising to return them if not linked to the shooting. I wouldn't voluntarily hand over any of my guns, nor would anyone I know. Nor would the police have entered my home without a warrant.
Yes, idiots
If there's no warrant and no probable cause - and it goes to my place - then I do what I have to do.
You can't let the facts get in the way of a good rant on a thread like this.
"Citizens' guns were seized through searches of area homes. The police promised to return the firearms after forensic tests proved they were not involved in the crime. The injured officer's name was withheld, but media reports indicate his condition is not life-threatening."
And exactly how long could that take? years??
But taking my gun is simply not going to happen.
Yeah, like THAT will happen!
These are police, an arm of the government.
Only "big corp's" and "big industries" are evil and deserve to be sued for $10 billion.
There you go! Just like those traveling 'political correctness' seminars, have Constitutional Correctness services.
(Just cut me in for 5% on the first $20mil, and 2.5% after that. ;-)
thank you. i was skeptical at best when i read this "article." barricading the streets was absolutely necessary for the investigation as were the escorts. but the house-to-house searches were most likely for the perp and not an all out gun confiscating party. no one who has ever heard of the Constitution would ever conduct such a search. when the officers entered houses with permission, they most likely asked is there were any guns on the premises, but that is SOP. this press release is most likely a ploy to raise membership with its inflammatory language.
Holy crap.
WWHD (what would howard do?)
Amendments? We don't respect no steenking Amendments!
from your name i understand your response, but i do think you should read some of the other perspectives from actual newspapers and not from local gun advocacy groups. see post #19.
And these Jacka$$ Officers just guarantee the shooter will get off scott free because of the NUMEROUS Civil Rights violations that occurred in this Town
I'm not a sue happy person .. But if I were these home owners? .. I would sue the pants off of EVERY official in this town
You are, of course, correct. Where were my manners?
If you'll please excuse me, I'll just go freshen up the tinfoil in my hat.
[Just kidding!]
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