Posted on 03/21/2008 9:46:51 AM PDT by beltfed308
Imagine you're home alone.
It's 8 p.m. You work an early shift and need to be out the door before sunrise, so you're already in bed. Your nerves are a bit frazzled, because earlier in the week someone broke into your home. Oddly, they didn't take anything; they just rifled through your belongings.
But the violation weighs on your mind. At about the time you drift off, you're awakened by fierce barking from your two large dogs. You hear someone crashing into your front door, as if he's trying to separate it from its hinges. You grab the gun you keep for home defense and leave your room to investigate.
(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...
posted on FR yesterday under a different source.
The raid in Chesapeake bears a striking resemblance to another that ended in a fatality. Last week, New Hanover County, N.C., agreed to pay $4.25 million to the parents of college student Peyton Strickland, who was killed when a deputy participating in a raid mistook the sound of a SWAT battering ram for a gunshot, and fired through the door as Strickland came to answer it.
In the case where a citizen mistakenly (and allegedly) shot through his door at a raiding police officer, the citizen is facing a murder charge; in the case where a raiding police officer mistakenly shot through a door and killed a citizen, there were no criminal charges
Shades of Waco, jackboots and all......
Sadly, the detective got what he deserved. Any police officer who participates in a no-knock raid on a residence is a lawless thug. There is no reason that the police cannot knock on the door and make absolutely certain that their announced presence is acknowledged. Home invaders now shout “Police!” in order to paralyze their victims. What is the difference?
After years of being showered with an endless supply of surplus military hardware (including Armored Personnel Carriers) as well as continually increased budget and personnel within these teams, it is apparent that they did not have enough "legitimate" response situations (hostage-taking, barricaded violent and armed suspects, etc.) to justify their existence.
Thus, the most natural recourse, was to begin using these forces for routine and non-violent process service.
With the increase in these no-knock, night raids, it stands to reason that there would be a similar increase in errors.
Sadly, the "errors," often end in serious injuries to both police and suspect as well as fatalities.
There should be a moratorium on such Gestapo tactics and all state legislatures need to take up this issue post haste.
It seems; the DAs / LEOs w/ respect to the WOD...the heavy reliance on "dirty Informants" is not worth it....the risk.
If the "Informants", leads the DAs / LEOs astray, Charge the Informant w/ Capital / First Degree Murder.....and any other corrupt officials, too.
I’d love to sit on this guys jury.
NOT GUILTY!
What I question is their application.
They should be there for situations when they are needed, not used just because they are there.
As it stands, it seems they are being used like a ladder truck at a grass fire--inappropriately.
This is getting people killed on both sides of the badge, making some palpable (and somewhat justifiable) emnity toward LEOs in general, and NOT serving the community, no matter how you look at it when the overall and long-range effects are counted.
This is the case especially when relying on informants whose information may not be accurate or credible in the first place, who could be 'gaming' the police to gin up situations in which the police are either going to suffer losses or kill someone who did not deserve it and earn the police some more bad press, as well as general contempt.
How long before that develops into a full-blown 'us vs. them' mentality between the community and the officers who are there to serve it?? In some locales, that is already present, at least in the community. That situation serves neither the interests of the community or of law enforcement.
It is great to have the gear and the training to use it, just in case it is needed. Now it should be put back in the van to wait for the right situation or drill night, and the paramilitary mindset put in the rack right next to it.
This guy had a misdemeanor amount...
More WOD silliness...
In the case where a citizen mistakenly (and allegedly) shot through his door at a raiding police officer, the citizen is facing a murder charge; in the case where a raiding police officer mistakenly shot through a door and killed a citizen, there were no criminal charges
These jack booted thugs should be required to declare themselves as police before smashing through doors.
the police ALREADY have an us vs them mentality.
if you are in a policeman’s sights you are “them”
It makes a good deal more sense to capture the suspect outside the home.
The suspect is less likely to be armed and can not barricade himself.
With very little investigation or surveillance they could have discovered where he worked and taken him in to custody at work.
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