Anyone know what is happening in Cedar Rapids?

[Skinny Shooter]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONAudPPhum8&eurl=www.prisonplanet.com/articles/june2008/061808_strike_teams.htm

http://gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080615/NEWS/570880217/1002/NEWS

The police chief said no officers are entering homes but they are.
A homeowner is threatened with removal from his property by a LEO because of his door being broken. Did they knock first?

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gMk0eOYOQ-W5ZfDqeZ8NtlJASvmwD91BEGSG0

I'm sure that the video can be taken out of context but what it showed did happen.
I'd like to give the "strike teams" the benefit of the doubt, but...

This is the way I'd like to see them handle it and it didn't show on the video that way:

"*Knock, knock* Police, fire & rescue, are you in need of assistance?"
"No, we're fine thanks."
"Alright, stay safe and let us know if you need anything."

[Classicvette63]

Been talking about just this kind of stuff for years. It was garbage then and it's garbage now. The attitude of leo's in general has diminished to such a point that their usefullness can really come into question.

Would have liked to have seen that old timer come out with a 97 pump and explain to that azzhat just whose property he was on. Worthless scum.

[BILLY D.]

Originally posted by Classicvette63
Been talking about just this kind of stuff for years. It was garbage then and it's garbage now. The attitude of leo's in general has diminished to such a point that their usefullness can really come into question.

Would have liked to have seen that old timer come out with a 97 pump and explain to that azzhat just whose property he was on. Worthless scum.

The only thing missing in the pictures is black balaclavas.

The jack booted thugs are alive and well.

Bill

[fabsroman]

I watched the YouTube video, and based upon what the officer was saying, it appears that the homeowner came out and was a pain in the rear to somebody. According to the officer, the homeowner had harassed somebody and the LEO was just telling the guy to stay inside and out of the way. I didn't find anything wrong with the video. If people are not answering the door in an area that was flooded and currently under martial law, I have no issue with law enforcement breaking open the door to search for bodies and/or survivors.

Now, if they knock on the door and they get an answer that everything is fine, I would be pissed if they forcibly entered the house.

[Hawkeye6]

Fabs:

You may not have a problem with police breaking open a door to do a search, but I sure do. Are they also prepared to secure teh door they just broke down?

[fabsroman]

At what point is it ok for the authorities to enter a premise in an area that has been struck by a natural disaster? For instance, in New Orleans, should they have waited several years before plowing down homes (e.g., when property owners are overdue on their property tax)? At what point should the authorities enter a home when it is located in a flooded area? How do they condemn a house without going inside? Should they just condemn it from looking at it from the outside, assume that nobody is there, and let the bulldozers go at it? Imagine the outcry when they run over somebody inside the house.

Honestly, if nobody answers the door or responds to knocking on the door, why is it a problem to enter a home after the area has been hit by a natural disaster. Are we scared that they LEO's are going to steal property? What if they happen to save a life. Isn't a single saved life worth the value of any property that the few unscrupulous LEO's out there might steal?

Yes, under ordinary circumstances, I wouldn't want my door broken in either, but this isn't going on under normal circumstances.

I guess I should read the article to see if there is anything in it that I am fired up about.

[Nulle]

My Dad is 91 and I would hope to hell someone would check his house in the time of a disaster rather it be cop fireman or whoever. "Probable Cause"

[skeet]

Been on both sides of the issue. Workin in the fire dept I have to say ..yep..I've broken into a few apartments during a fire..mostly searching for people still in the fire area or searching for fire extension...but I do have a problem with this kind of thing. Was martial law really declared? It surely wasn't clear that it was. As far as the police not letting me back into the area to check my house...uh..I don't think so. Not right at all! It's just bullS*** not letting people go back. On that note..There is a large move afoot nowdays for the police to try to take charge of situations such as this. Want to go through an area to make sure there is no looting or whatever??...OK..but to keep legitimate citizens out of their houses...not ok. Searching for gas leaks..no problem. You can walk through an area and find them as they are very apparent. BTDT Breaking down doors..no problem if they have reasonable cause to think there is a person hurt or whatever. But it didn't seem that is what was REALLY happening here. To just go through an area and break into every house is wrong. Is that what was happening?? Sad also to have to say..I've seen police taking things that they should have just left alone.

Oh I guess from the above it seems as though I don't like cops. Not true at all. Worked with them for years hand in hand. The average cop is really not much different than the average citizen...but the Hierarchy is another thing entirely especially in larger cities. The powers that be ALWAYS want more power than they have...and at any chance will usually move to acquire it... Just an observation

[fabsroman]

"The powers that be ALWAYS want more power than they have...and at any chance will usually move to acquire it."

Kind of like our ex Washington, DC police chief Ramsey. He became Philadelphia's police chief after leaving DC. The highest Court in PA struck down an anti-gun bill, but Ramsey said he was going to enforce it anyway. Where does a police chief get the gull to enforce a law that has been stricken down by the Courts. Not only that, but he isn't even the Mayor of Philadelphia. Oh yeah, he was also being told not to do it by the States Attorney. Who knows, maybe he listened a little bit to reason.

As I have said before and will continue to say, you find good and bad people in any group of people, whether it is LEO's, doctors, attorneys, CPA's, firefighters, cyclists, hunters, fishermen, motorcyclists, motorists, etc.

[skeet]

OH come now Fabs!!..Bad in motorcyclists. Who would believe that?? Now attorneys I would definitely believe:rolleyes: :D :D

[Lilred]

Readin stuff like this is why I live in the woods....aint nobody around to label bad or good and my door would be one of the last anybody would care to knock on..lol :rolleyes: :D

[fabsroman]

Skeet,

That is hilarious. You should see some of the guys on the DC beltway on those crotch rockets. I had a guy right behind me pass me in the merge lane from 50 to the DC Beltway only to squeeze between me and the car in front of me. Then, when he got on the beltway he did a wheelie at 70+ mph. That isn't the first time I've seen people doing a wheelie at 70+ mph. They just never learn. Yep, these guys are all great guys.

[skeet]

I do hope you realize that what I said WAS tongue in cheek. About 50% of the people on the crotch rockets are dangerous to themselves and to others. Lotta chance takers there. The ones that really get me are the ones that roar down the highway(such as 50) with the traffic all but stopped doing 60 MPH between the stopped cars. One open door and shazaaammm! Daid crotch rocketeer:rolleyes:

[fabsroman]

Yeah, I realized you were tongue in cheek or I wouldn't have said that is hilarious.

I had a guy pass me at night the other day on I-270. I was right next to another car and we were doing 65 mph, so he decided to pass right between the two of us, where he only had a couple of feet. What really pissed me off was that he had a girl on the back of the bike with him. I don't mind if these morons kill themselves, but I hate it when they do stupid things with passengers on the bike. Then again, maybe the passenger is a moron for getting on the bike with them.

We had two brothers die here this past weekend when they both tried to take an off ramp at 100 mph. Some of these guys are just plain nuts.

[Jack]

No wonder some call them 'donorcycles'...as in organ donor.

[DON WALKUP]

LEO's have a rough row to hoe a lot of times and i prefer to give them the benefit of a doubt unless otherwise is obvious...