The "no knock" policy

[question everything]

I am still bothered by it. Yes, it was used today to prevent any hiding or destroying evidence.

But I think that this policy is part of the militarization of our local police forces. Even the FBI.

I think..

[pnwmom]

1. It's not a policy. It's a procedure that is only allowed in certain circumstances.

And in the case of this lawyer, the bar was set VERY high.

[TheFrenchRazor]

6. the vast majority of no-knock raids are for drugs, and not even a large amount, necessarily.

unfortunately, the bar is not very high at all. there was a time (decades ago) when no-knock raids were very rare and controversial; that time has long since passed, and the public apparently accepts this loss of basic individual rights, under the belief that the government needs this authority to "keep us safe." the perpetual wars on drugs and terror are great for convincing citizens to give up their rights (and their money).

[question everything]

13. I became aware of it when I read about the raid of the mayor of Berwyn Heights

The drug raid at the residence of former Berwyn Heights mayor Cheye Calvo was a controversial action taken by the Prince George's County, Maryland, Sheriff's Office and Police Department on July 29, 2008. The raid was the culmination of an investigation that began in Arizona, where a package containing 32 pounds (15 kg) of marijuana was intercepted in a warehouse, addressed to the mayor's residence. Instead of intercepting the package in transit, the police allowed the package to be delivered. Once the package arrived at the house, a SWAT team raided and held the mayor and his mother-in-law at gunpoint, and shot and killed his two dogs, one while it attempted to run away.

The event gained national and international media attention. While the Calvos were cleared of wrongdoing, the police were accused by the Calvos and civil rights groups of lacking a proper search warrant, excessive force, and failure to conduct a proper background investigation of the home being raided. Despite the criticisms, no action has been taken against the officers or their respective police departments. In August 2010, Sheriff Michael A. Jackson stated that "We've apologized for the incident, but we will never apologize for taking drugs off our streets. Quite frankly, we'd do it again. Tonight."[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berwyn_Heights,_Maryland_mayor%27s_residence_drug_raid

This case was mentioned in Radly Balko's book The Rise of the Warrior Cope about the militarization of local police.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10023404817

[Ms. Toad]

2. It had been available for a lot longer than the militarization of local police forces.

Yes, the use of no knock warrants is increasing, but the policy itself is not new.

[TheFrenchRazor]

8. i think the two have been going hand in hand since the late '60s. obtaining a no-knock warrant used

to be very hard, and was only granted in exceptional circumstances; no it's practically just a formality, at least as far as drug raids go. to say that the use of these warrants is increasing is an understatement; their use has exploded, relative to the pre-War on Drugs era.

[RandySF]

3. It's abused, but sometimes necessary.

[PJMcK]

4. Nope

The regulations cannot be violated.

[TheFrenchRazor]

7. what do you mean exactly? the regs are so loosely written that they're impossible to violate?

because that's the only way i can see that statement being true.

[PJMcK]

12. DOJ regulations are multi-tiered

According to news reports and past history, there are numerous checks and balances that must be squared in order to take the actions the FBI enacted. The raid on Cohen's office and home are not rogue. They would have required review by numerous parties including the highest level of the DOJ including the Attorney General.

The regulations are not "loosely written." The fact that Cohen is the president's lawyer implies that there were probably additional levels of scrutiny before the raid was authorized.

But, believe what you want. Time will reveal the truth, I believe.

[pnwmom]

9. Mueller's team didn't violate them. n/t

[gopiscrap]

5. I agree, fucking cops need to be reigned in

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. The warrant is issued by a magistrate, upon probable cause, and in sincere belief the evidence...

The warrant is issued by a magistrate, upon probable cause, and in sincere belief the evidence would be otherwise destroyed,

What would you have the authorities do ?


And I would feel the exact way if someone I liked was the target.

[Vinca]

10. So when they go out out to bust a heroin trafficker they should politely knock

while the goods go down the drain? Sorry. I disagree. It's got more to do with destroying evidence than anything else. Boo hoo if Michael Cohen shit his pants.

[question everything]

14. Just hope like hell that the "heroin traffickers" do not use your address as a decoy

tor delivery, so your home is not busted and your pets shot. As happened to the mayor of Berwyn Heights, Md. And the sheriff said: Quite frankly, we'd do it again

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berwyn_Heights,_Maryland_mayor%27s_residence_drug_raid

[Vinca]

16. In Cohen's case, the judge reportedly approved a "no knock" warrant.

Every cop isn't the idiot sheriff you cite. If busting down Cohen's door so he doesn't destroy evidence means Trump goes away someday, break it down.