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Two recent incidents involving SWAT teams are adding fuel to the fire in the emerging controversy over the routine use of such paramilitarized police units to prosecute the drug war. In Chicago, the Chicago Police Department has been hit with a $10 million lawsuit over a September raid on a social club. Meanwhile, in Florida, the Pembroke Pines Police Department Special Response Team, a SWAT-style unit, shot and killed a 46-year-old homeowner in a dawn raid June 13 that netted a whopping three-quarters of an ounce of marijuana.
In the Chicago raid, raw video of which is available here (part one) and here (part two), Chicago SWAT team officers dressed as if heading for combat in Baghdad hit the La Familia Motorcycle Club as it was being used for a birthday party. Officers exploded stun grenades, pointed assault weapons at people cowering in hallways, and, according to the attorney who filed the lawsuit, did so without producing a search warrant.
Attorney George Becker said police also stole $1,500 from amusement machines and $1,000 from a safe they broke open during the raid. Becker also said five women at the club were strip-searched by female officers in front of male officers and club patrons. Becker said those parts of the raid were not recorded because officers pointed surveillance cameras at the ceiling.
"It looked to me like the Chicago Police Department is engaging in military-type activity," said Becker after showing the raid video.
But police are unrepentant. "We believe the officers acted within department guidelines in executing the legal search warrant," Police Department spokeswoman Monique Bond said.
Although police said an informant had told them a shipment of drugs was destined for the building, they seized only a small quantity of drugs and one hand-gun. Two arrests were made -- one on a bond forfeiture warrant and one for reckless conduct.
What was it that G Gordon Liddy said about gun control?
I know quite a few officers who are actually against these kinds of actions for several reasons. One being that it makes people afraid of the police, and another being that these sorts of things should be reserved for warzones and for dealing with truly dangerous situations, not private homes with few residents.
I feel the exact same way. I have only had one experience with police where they were professional. I commonly hear that it's the rookie cops that go around braking rules, but the youngest cop was the only one that was ever nice to me. And a veteran put me into a situation where I should have filed a police report but unfortunately didn't. I am always respectful to police, but from personal experience, a lot of the officers I've dealt with are trying to push me around.
There was a story here in GA not too long ago about a similar "drug task force" busting down a 90 year old womans door after an informant tipped them off.
She was armed and didn't know who was breaking down her door and got a few rounds off before they killed her in a hail of bullets.
Everyone (especially the resident LEOs here) were all on the side of the cops, "You weren't there, you don't know the facts" etc.
Well, guess what? 2 of the detectives are going to jail, the "task force" has been disbanded, and several other officers are in deep trouble. The informant even said he was told what to say.
When I updated the thread about it and told of the cops going to jail, you could hear the crickets chirping.
Bikers sue cops for $10-million
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