Militarized America
A video about a family that was targeted by police with a SWAT raid. A few thoughts:
The video doesn’t jive with the police report that says they knocked.
The po-po ninjaed up in all their cool operator gear to operate operationally in operations to catch a credit card thief.
They didn’t find anything they were looking for.
The young man is right, if he’d not been on the toilet, he’d be dead.
Why are the police disabling the home security cameras? Unless they know they’re doing something wrong.
February 5th, 2014 at 7:34 pm
The courts have generally held (not all, but most) that a “knock and announce” need be no more than a literal tap and the shout of “POLICE!” as they hit the door with a ram. In general, the courts say that they need not allow the residents time to answer the door and to avoid damage and/or confusion.
This is what we have come to.
February 5th, 2014 at 8:46 pm
While there isn’t a definite time to wait after knocking and announcing, the risks skyrocket when teams breach (for the officers as well as people in the house). Considering the crime, using SWAT in this instance seems like huge overkill.
I say this as an almost 40 year cop who has been on my share of raids.
February 5th, 2014 at 9:27 pm
So, riddle me this, Batman….when the front porch motion detector light turns on is there any reason I shouldn’t shoulder the M1A and prepare to put several .30 caliber holes in anything coming in the front door?
And, is 20 rounds enough or should I buy and test 30 round mags for it? Should I use 168 grain TAP, or AP? Because I will use one or the other…
This shit absolutely has to stop, one way or another.
February 5th, 2014 at 10:20 pm
I would got TAP because AP keeps going unless it hits something really hard and most thugs do not have that kind of armor.
February 5th, 2014 at 10:53 pm
Paul, it would seem the thugs in this story do.
February 5th, 2014 at 11:33 pm
Sooner or later one of these exercises in idiocy is going to result in multiple dead bodies. I’m really surprised it hasn’t already.
And the authorities will insist ‘We had to do it this way for officer safety. Those people/women/children should have known it was cops and preemptively laid down on the floor so we wouldn’t have to shoot them!’
February 5th, 2014 at 11:45 pm
Why disable the cameras? Because they saw someone do it on TV.
February 6th, 2014 at 1:42 am
as i see it, the scenarios go like this:
a) the police bust in like they did here, terrorize the residents like its 2003 in Bagdad, get bad press and a stern talking to, nothing changes.
b) a vigilant homeowner, expecting thugs, grabs his personal defense rifle and drops 3-5 of the cops. he dies on the spot or, if they back off, he goes to prison or they burn the house down with him inside. they say “See! SWAT must be used at all times!” and nothing changes.
bottom line, there’s no winning once the SWAT team shows up at your door.
February 6th, 2014 at 2:05 am
I’ve watched cops over at a sorta-cop forum defend this with the usual nonsense: “Disable cameras to maintain tactical advantage”, “Just because a suspect isn’t charged with a violent crime, doesn’t mean that they are not prone to violence, suspected of being violent, or capable or likely of committing an act of violence”, etc.
It won’t be long before SOP is to employ a stand-off drone to bomb the house preemptively. Officer safety, ya’ know.
February 6th, 2014 at 2:24 am
Silver lining – they didn’t shoot that dog.
February 6th, 2014 at 5:28 am
@Andrew S: I noticed that too, just for a change of pace, the dog lived.
February 6th, 2014 at 7:01 am
Why did they disable the camera? Because thats what thieves like the ones that invaded this man’s house generally do.
February 6th, 2014 at 7:40 am
…to the press. Back in the station, they say to each other, “Oh,shit, we could die doing this stuff! Can’t we get re-assigned to the highway patrol where we can pressure cute babes into giving blowjobs in exchange for getting out of speeding tickets?”
February 6th, 2014 at 10:43 am
I cannot remember where, there was a case a while back where the ninja-suiters threw a flash-bang into a house just before charging in and the guy inside shot at them, they charged him with ‘daring to shoot at cops.’
At the trial the defense atty got the judge to agree that the man was acting in self defense after the prosecution insisted “He had to know we were cops!” while defending the grenade because “It unsettles the suspect and prevents him from being able to think about what’s going on.” Defense pointed out to the judge “They want it both ways: they want to use a device the say is DESIGNED to prevent people from being able to think, and still insist the people inside knew exactly what was going on.”
Sooner or later one of these “Use SWAT because we have to justify the budget. Plus kicking doors is fun” missions is going to go real bad, and there’ll be enough stink that- just maybe- some LE will think “What the hell ARE we doing?” But it’ll take a bunch of bodies to bring that about, unfortunately.
February 6th, 2014 at 12:12 pm
‘Use SWAT because we have to justify the budget. Plus kicking doors is fun” missions is going to go real bad, and there’ll be enough stink that- just maybe- some LE will think “What the hell ARE we doing?” But it’ll take a bunch of bodies to bring that about, unfortunately.’
– That happened, it was called Waco, and budgets just rose.
February 6th, 2014 at 4:03 pm
Hl, somehow I doubt they are lugging 16-30 lbs of ceramic or steel plate….
My bet is Level III or IIIa best case.
February 6th, 2014 at 6:29 pm
Seems the ideal long-term solution is holding the order-givers personally responsible. So the next time somebody’s family member dies in a needless raid, figure out who gave the go-ahead. Do them in. That ought to do a good job of either cutting down on the amount of raids of turning the cops further towards South American style enforcers who try to stay anonymous and wage war on their own compatriots. At least then things would be a little more clear-cut.
February 6th, 2014 at 6:51 pm
“We can’t rely on just the military– We need a civilian security force that’s just as powerful, just as well-funded…” — Barak Obama
All this BS was announced prior to November of 1008.
February 6th, 2014 at 6:53 pm
So I was off by a thousand years. The story never really changes anyway.
February 7th, 2014 at 12:15 am
Hide the home security cameras.
Police will destroy evidence.
February 7th, 2014 at 12:47 am
We had a situation in Chesapeake, Va just a few years ago. A dynamic entry was made to the home of a guy who was suspected of growing a few plants in his garage and being a small time pot dealer, on the word of some small time thug. When the door was broken down, the guys dog was barking there was confusion and the occupant fired one shot which killed the guy who ordered the raid. There were no plants. It was a pity someone died, but IMHO if anyone was going to die it was the right one. The occupant of the house is doing some real serious time. This is a guy who got up every morning and went to work. A little bit of police work would have showed that he could have been intercepted getting in his car and served a search warrant.
February 7th, 2014 at 12:59 am
Disabling the cameras is tampering with (and destroying) evidence. If I represented the family, I would be sure to add that charge to the complaint.
A jury might smell a little B.S. when the Chief started hemming and hawing about the reasons for disabling cameras, and for not re-enabling them after the residents are under control – it makes it look like they are doing something they are ashamed of.
Policy should be to preserve as much evidence as possible. That way the homeowners can’t make up stuff, and the cops can’t make up stuff – everybody is encouraged to stick to the truth.
February 7th, 2014 at 5:14 am
b) a vigilant homeowner, expecting thugs, grabs his personal defense rifle and drops 3-5 of the cops. he dies on the spot or, if they back off, he goes to prison or they burn the house down with him inside. they say “See! SWAT must be used at all times!” and nothing changes.
Well, to quote Henry Bowman, “after the first one the rest are free.” So, after dropping the first 3-5 through the door, duck out the back, circle through the neighbor’s yards and tackle the rest from behind. You know the micro-terrain, they don’t. If you survive that, start huntng down individual ones until they get you. As long as you’re going to get fried, might as well make it worthwhile.
The first time that happens it’ll be headlined as “crazy, religious nut right winger with guns, anti-authority,” etc. and Chuck Schumer will set his tent and sleeping bag up in front of the cameras. Third or fourth time it’ll get their attention.
If they want to be the enemy then let them enjoy 100% of being the enemy. They can change anytime they want.
February 7th, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Wizard, I have pondered this scenario in my head many times, and it always comes out the same.
Once you shoot the first one there is absolutely positively no reason to stop.
The chances of surrendering are very low and you will still spend the rest of your life in prison, or in the right state get the needle. (More than likely you will be shot dead even if you surrender.) No ifs, ands, or buts.
I have pondered this deadly quandary with every gun or ammo purchase I have made.
Am I willing to go as far as is needed to protect myself even if I die doing it??? That remains to be seen. I hope to god that I never have to find out because that would suck…
February 7th, 2014 at 11:53 pm
Or perhaps an officer will end up getting killed, and a jury might exonerate shooter…
http://www.policestateusa.com/2014/texas-deputy-dies-serving-knock-swat-raid-marijuana/
Americans are waking up to violations of the 4th amendment, and as sad as it is we can expect more of these deaths as the power structure demands more revenue from our law enforcement officers violating American citizens rights in the name of the state.
February 8th, 2014 at 2:35 pm
That Wizard is not this wizard, just to be clear.
February 10th, 2014 at 2:20 pm
Methinks everyone needs to read “unintended consequences” by john ross. Very good read and you will enjoy the pictures.
SteveA
P.S. as Paul Kisling correctly stated, after the first one they are all free.