[Huck]

They've got a warrant. Isn't that due process? I just don't see how knocking first makes a difference. Let's say they knock and no one answers, but they've got a warrant. Do they have to leave and come back?

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

They've got a warrant. Isn't that due process?

But the door is innocent.
You got something against the rights of doors or are you just insennnnnnnnnnsitive?

[Sacajaweau]

Then they have to say: "So we'll huff and puff and blow your door in"....three times, take two steps backwards and announce: "If we don't hear "not by the hair of my chiny, chin chin" in three seconds, we're coming in"..."ready or not"....so help me God!!

[FreedomCalls]

They've got a warrant. Isn't that due process?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought even a search warrant has to be "served" before it is valid. The knock represents the serving of the warrant. I didn't think we allowed secret (non-served) warrants to be acted upon.

[supercat]

They've got a warrant. Isn't that due process? I just don't see how knocking first makes a difference. Let's say they knock and no one answers, but they've got a warrant. Do they have to leave and come back?

The police should conduct themselves in such a way that a reasonable person could determine their legitimacy prior to surrendering to them. Absent extreme exigent circumstances, the police should not initiate any action that an innocent person could construe as a deadly threat. It is possible to search apparently-unoccupied premises while maintaining such conduct.