What you refer to as an explanation by law enforcement, I would call a lame excuse by law enforcement.
No, red, it doesn't "explain" anything, it is simply an attempt to justify this whole illegal move. The cops broke the law and trampled on civil liberties here, they are the cause of the expense and the illegal searches.
Keep hanging in there with this type of LEO and soon you will be living in a real live police state, we are about 3/10ths of the way there now.