Acting on a bad tip, Cobb SWAT team bursts into home; officer's gun goes off

Atlanta Paper ^ | 9/5 | Journal staff

[Charles of Newark]

FBI spokesman Richard Kolco said such raids are routine, and he believes the Cobb police acted appropriately in choosing to go in. "Everybody was treated correctly with respect," he said. "If it doesn't work out, you just tell them, 'Thank you for your time.' It's worth it."

WHO writes the lines for these people--Lily Tomlin? Maybe Lily needs to bring her "never-mind" act out of moth-balls as "Swat-Team Lady".

Imagine one of these out-of-control cowboys in a similar situation as the SUSPECT . . . .

[Zorobabel]

These people are supposed to be the "elite" of the police force, and they don't even know how to handle their firearms safely.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

John Bailey was relaxing in his home Sunday when he suddenly found himself handcuffed, with guns pointed at his head and police combing through his apartment.

What if one of those had gone off "accidentally? They would have said, "He attacked us. We had to protect ourselves and, oh yeah, we thought he had a gun."

[ppaul]

Once again, why does every tin-pot jurisdiction in the land need a paramilitary SWAT team? Even if this guy WAS the actual fugitive, why storm the apartment? They could have surrounded the place with plainclothes officers, and when the guy left to go to the store or whatever, he could be peaceably apprehended. But that wouldn't be any fun for these big boys with their high-priced lethal toys, eh?

And, what if the guy HAD been the real fugitive and opened fire when they busted into the apartment? How many innocent lives would be at stake? And, if the guy barracaded himself in, would they have just burned down the whole building, sent in tanks, what?

All the drug laws and unconstitutional property confiscation laws that allow police to seize and keep property assciated with the war on drugs has left various police departments flush with cash that they can spend on these little armies. This has really gotten out of hand, wouldn't you say?

[fod]

Think of any others?

No harm, no foul, nobody was hurt, no blood drawn, so waht's the big deal?

[Texaggie79]

The Cobb County police thought they had a killer cornered Sunday and they didn't want to waste time. They didn't want to tip him off. They didn't want to endanger themselves or the public. And they didn't want him to get away.

But the 3 a.m. raid -- in which police targeted the wrong man, and an officer fired his gun accidentally -- raises questions of how far police should go before bursting into people's lives.

Haven't we learned our leason from the Libertarians yet. LEGALIZE MURDER, it is the only way to stop this madness.

[ppaul]

BTTT

[Huck]

I see two people at fault here. First, the judge for issueing a warrant on flimsy evidence. Second, the officer whose gun went off. The cops have a right to ask for a warrant. It is a judge who is supposed to apply the law. Why have warrants?

[Order of the Garter]

'The judge, like most, never even reviewed any information. Each month, all warrants and the judges issuing them, should be published much like other legal records in the local papers.'

EXACTLY... its time to deal with the Thugs in BLACK ROBES..... Jail 4 Judges is a beginning

[goldstategop]

You'd think someone in the Police Department who received the tip would take a moment to think to call the DMV and find out who lived in that place they were all set to bust into. Sheer incompetence is what it is. A simple phone call and all this could have been avoided. Was the identity of the owner of the place so damn hard to figure out? You'd think they'd finally quit behaving like Keystone Kops. Yeah right.

[packrat01]

If they have the right man, every minute may be critical. If they don't, they'll apologize."

Sorry about your husband, lady. We didn't know he was reaching for his glasses. We thought he was reaching for a gun.

Here's the number for a good carpet cleaner. They do wonders with bloodstains.

[fod]

yoohoo

cops need some defending

[Stew Padasso]

If you work for the gubmint it is legal.

[gnarledmaw]

bump

[steve50]

How dare you imply that goverment officials have no liability in these actions, Don't you realize that they could be placed on administrative leave(with full pay and insurance benefits of course) for 90-120 days for such reckless actions. My God, what do you expect of these people, accountability for their behaviour? How can you expect to draw GOOD and HONEST people to goverment service if you demand they obey the laws. We must have perps, I mean people, of this character in place to protect us from ourselves. After all, it's for the children. Next you'll be questioning valid actions like the Rainbow Farms murders,errr I mean drug and gun bust. If our goverment isn't allowed to kill people with different views how do you expect them to protect our freedoms. Cmon people, you're either part of the problem or part of the solution, we have two less problems in Michigan. How many problems can they solve in your town?

[FreedomPoster]

This was originally in the paper on Monday 9/3. That evening, the local news reporter on the Fox affiliate said he was told by Cobb Police that there would be no disciplinary action against the officer who committed the negligent discharge. This is unacceptable! The officer committing the ND should at minimum be removed from SWAT (I'm assuming he's in it) and have his MP5 taken away, and there should be a full internal affairs investigation to review the discrepancy between the citizen's statement and the officers' to determine if someone on the police force is lying about the incident.

I do note that in today's article (posted above), we have this: Police are reviewing the incident, and it is unknown whether any disciplinary action or procedural changes will result, said police spokesman Dana Pierce. This obviously represents a change from what the Fox reporter was told Monday.

You officers and Holy War on (some) Drugs types out there, stuff like this is why you see so much cop bashing go on in FR threads and elsewhere. It's also why the Holy War on (some) Drugs is so unpopular. This wouldn't be happening without the militarization of law enforcement brought on by the Holy War on (some) Drugs. The "cure" (ha!) is worse than the disease.

Regular, law-abiding citizens are getting the message that peace officers are all but gone, and we're left with black clad, MP5-totin', answerable-to-nobody, ninja flying monkey Law Enforcement Officers who are above the law, not responsible for their actions, who can effectively hide behind their Blue Line stickers. Regular, law-abiding citizens are law enforcement's greatest allies. That feeling of goodwill is moving towards one of suspicion because of acts like this.

And the judge needs to be booted, too.

[JMJ333]

Yeah...you really went to the heart of the matter-- Blame the stupidiy and recklessness of overzealous [AND WRONG] police on the libertarians.

The lengths some of you go to to defend this nonsense is bizarre.

[DWSUWF]

"...Police are reviewing the incident, and it is unknown whether any disciplinary action or procedural changes will result, said police spokesman Dana Pierce..."

Oh, you-all done need tuh do no re-viewuhn. I'se sorry suh fo not uh gittin on de flo sooner. I'se sorry fo dat de-ordenant stik bangin up yo bullet.

Please massah, Toby din mean no hahm suh. Toby'll be good. Lemme shine yo boot suh. Thas a Mighty fine jackboot suh! Yes suh!

[DWSUWF]

Oh... I forget...

Get a freakin' Lawyer

[Texaggie79]

woohoo 2 wrongs make a right.