Posted on 03/25/2008 10:39:24 PM PDT by neverdem
The Metropolitan Police Department yesterday moved cautiously into its program to ask to search homes in the District for illegal guns while civil rights activists knocked on doors and used bullhorns to keep residents from participating.
"We shouldn't make the next casualty of street violence cherished civil rights," said Johnny Barnes, director of American Civil Liberties Union of the National Capital Area. "We're very uncomfortable with police randomly banging on doors without probable cause asking for access."
The department initiated its program by distributing literature at police stations and Boys and Girls Clubs to gauge public interest. It plans to begin the searches in two weeks.
Police spokeswoman Traci Hughes said the Safe Home program attempts to reach parents or guardians who think or know their children have guns and will offer amnesty for certain gun- and drug-possession charges.
Although amnesty was assured, ACLU workers held a press conference and went door to door in the Washington Highlands in Southeast, the first neighborhood to be targeted under the program. The department also has scheduled searches in Eckington in Northeast and Columbia Heights in Northwest.
The ACLU workers distributed window signs that read: "To the Police: NO CONSENT TO SEARCH OUR HOME," and gave residents questionnaires for the officers to sign that ask whether social services or immigration authorities would be notified about what is found inside homes.
D.C. Council member Marion Barry said the plan violates the Fourth Amendment, which bars illegal search and seizure. He also said it infringes on parental responsibility.
"If there's a parent who has a son who has a gun in the home and they know what to do, [then] they can call the police," said Mr. Barry, Ward 8 Democrat. "It's not that hard."
Council member Jim Graham, Ward 1 Democrat, said he...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
...
I side with the ACLU on this one.
Not just no, but Hell NO is my answer to this Unconstitutional BS.
It's a first for me too.
“Fourth Amendment, who cares? Who cared about the Second Amendment in D.C.? It wasn’t the ACLU. You reap what you sow.”
It’s time to hit the reset button.
...or feed the hogs.
Following the formula that the ACLU is invariably always wrong, then it follows this must be right. If they are telling citizens up front, they do not have to consent and it will not be held against them; then I don’t see where the 4th is being violated.
There is always room for abuse with anything, but this looks to be some symbolic overture that will have no real effect on crime. Maybe just like have a presence in a community and see if anyone has any concerns about others living in their home or neighbors. Not a big deal. I think elderly folk would be glad to see them. The ACLU didn’t seem to mind that the 2nd was being pi$$ed on. Their major concern is always for their anarcho-communist ideologies.
(Miss Hughes said the goal of the initiative is to seize guns and not to catch criminals.)
Well thank you Miss Hughes for the honesty. Now, do you know how outrageous that statement is? You witch are not interested in catching real criminals, but are interested in taking from law abiding citizens a right that is guaranteed to them by the Constitution. How revolting!
Frog being cooked, mission creep, unintended consequences, indoctrination.....just get 'em used to the idea.
Listening to news broadcasts about this program, I got the impression that homeowners who are afraid their youngsters my have hidden illegal guns in the house could ask for a search to get the guns out without penalty. Given the number of youth shootins in DC, this is not an unreasonable desire on the part of parents. On the other hand, it certainly bears careful watching. I had not heard that the police would be actively soliciting these searches.
I tried to pull up the balance of the Wash. Times article, but was not able. Thus I probably missed some important details.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and I agree with the ACLU on this one (they also opposed McCain-Feingold, btw). I agree with you that this probably isn't illegal since it is "voluntary", but don't rule out the factors of ignorance and intimidation. The cops can always say it won't be held against them, but that doesn't mean it won't be later. There is a clear implication that if you don't go along you must have something to hide.
Random home searches.
Kinda like Random airport searches. I wonder will they be done in a non-profiling, 80 year old in wheelchair, white, no record, kind of way?
We have had several Senators and Governors in trouble lately, getting caught red-handed.
Excellent grounds for a search warrant. Normally.
But, these politicians claim that their ‘office’ is sacrosanct. (and their house, and their email, and their phone calls, and ....)
Well where the eff have I been, don't they work for us?
The ACLU... A broken clock is right twice a day...
There's an echo in here.
" Frog being cooked, mission creep, unintended consequences, indoctrination.....just get 'em used to the idea.
12 posted on 03/26/2008 2:44:33 AM EDT by Looking4Truth (Leave it to some liberal dork to screw things up for the rest of us.) "
If a homeowner or man in charge of his domicile has those fears then all bets are off, The Republic is gone.
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