By now I am sure that most of you have heard about the police raid conducted on the home of the Berwyn Heights, MD, Mayor and his family.
Prince Georges County Maryland Sheriffs Department SWAT Team busted through the doors of the Mayors home, shot and killed his two Labrador Retrievers, handcuffed his elderly mother in law face down on the floor next to one of the dead dogs, and sat the handcuffed Mayor on floor wearing only his boxers.
What happened to knocking on the door to serve a warrant?
For years and years we have become calloused watching shows like 'Cops' bust down alleged drug dealers doors, because of accumulated survelance and evidence gathering. We as viewers assume that these guys are bad and it's ok to do this. After all, this is in bad neighborhoods with bad people right?
Well this week it happened to an upper middle class white couple who are apparently pretty upstanding members of their community, and now, and only now is there a sound of outrage and infringement on our Constitutional Rights.
The Baltimore Sun did an excellent report on this story to read the whole article go here
Are we as Americans going to stand for this type of treatment? Is this the police state that we are going to allow to rule our lives?
Wake Up People!
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
28 comments:
I am torn between the absolute outrage of this specific situation, and the fact that some commenters believe that since things like this happen all the time, it isn't a big deal. IT IS A BIG DEAL. HUGE. We live in America, founded on principles that have been stomped on in this (and any comparable) situation. I hope these people take every single opportunity to voice their outrage, PUBLICLY, and that everyone who reads about it gets angry enough to do something about it.
Marijuana shouldn't even still be illegal.
I was wondering how long before this blog would discuss this. I cannot begin to imagine it happening in anyone's home. There needs to be public explanations. The poor mother-in-law for starters and next come the dogs. EVERYONE of those police should have the same thing happen in their lives for starters and next, they all need to be replaced and next the laws need to be reviewed. It does not matter if they knew who lived in that house or not. They probably felt "delight" yes "delight" in doing that raid and obviously got a rush from doing it. WE all need to organize some type of protest throughout Maryland. And believe me>>> I am NOT one to think I would ever type those words. I would be the last to do so.
this is why i have an arsenal bb
The best thing that we can do is hope that the courts allow the supervisors of this operation to be personally sued for sanctioning what appears to be excessive force.
Government agents don't make great money. If the shield of government immunity is stripped away from them, poor judgement can put the rest of their life in jeopardy. At that point, their tune will change and individual agents will act more appropriately.
On a side note, why was his house raided? Any new news about the investigation, etc?
I'm afraid that if this had happened at my house, the police would have killed me when I went berserk.
We moved into an apartment a few years ago that had had previous trouble-making tenants in it for about a year or so. I worked at the property so I knew the previous tenants and wasn't surprised whenever I heard bad things about them. Anyway, one day when I was at work, I got a call over our walkies from maintenance saying that the police were surrounding my apartment's building and I might want to come over and see what's going on. When I ran over (in a panic because my son and sitter were there), they were literally surrounding the building to raid my apartment. By this point, we'd been living there for probably about six months. The police never took the time to research and know that the previous tenants had been gone for months. All they had to do was walk into our front office and we would have happily confirmed who was there. We had a great relationship with local law enforcement and they knew we'd help them in any way they could. I was so blown away I never did ask to find out if they had a warrant. Its terrifying to think that they were about to bust in on my then infant son and his babysitter. Even worse, what if they weren't going to my apartment? The maintenance guys might never have thought to radio me and warn me something was going on.
"Prince George's County police arrested two men involved in a scheme to transport marijuana. Once packages were dropped off by a deliveryman, a suspect would pick them up -- with the addressee oblivious to the plot."
PEOPLE SHIPPING WEED/DRUGS TO OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES AND PICKING IT UP WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE IS ONE OF THE OLDEST SCHEMES IN THE BOOK. SO WHY WAS THE MAYOR'S HOUSE RAIDED AT ALL?
Even more MIND NUMBING is the fact that an undercover officer delivered the package before the SWAT team raided the house. What would have been SMART would to have let the package been delivered and then STAKED OUT those who would have picked it up. DUUUUUUHHHHH
A lot of people think the police are innocent and just good ole boys doing there job.
Reality, we live in a police state , and if this ever happens to you , you will take a whole new outlook on the police and the state that our nation is in..
This does not mean that all cops are bad, but if ordered by the higher ups they will raid anyone.
Including the mayors house..
This is a complete and blatent display of force and control.
We Must educate ourselves on our civil and constitutional rights.
It is imperative that we do this and do this NOW!
A show of force such as this puts people in a state of fear, and once fear sets in we are Sheeple.
Stop and think of what this means to us as Americans.
As Bush addressed the Chinese about Human rights, our own government is doing the same shit, and we aren't even questioning it.
Absolutely right, Wymzie.
I'm not sure what WE can do about things like this. Other than encourage those whose rights have been trampled on to seek justice.
Is there a better plan?
Anonymous said...
Absolutely right, Wymzie.
I'm not sure what WE can do about things like this. Other than encourage those whose rights have been trampled on to seek justice.
Is there a better plan?
2:04 PM
Justice comes from the barrel of a gun.
Yeah, it's called revolution.
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
Reminds me of this Poem.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
Excessive force is performed every day in this country by police officers including right here in the town of Salisbury. Problem is the police officers are protected and nothing will ever happen to them.Their own supervisors cover for them. No damn wonder people don't respect the law anymore.
I have an ideal, lets let criminals, gangs and bad people run the streets and country like they want. Then we all can sit in our houses in fear. Oh wait that will happen when Obama takes over...
It is not until you are a victim of police brutality that you would truly understand not respecting law enforcement. Hopefully it will never happen to you, however it does happen and it will be covered by law enforcement superiors.
Anon4:47,
You left out the part about being disarmed to wait in fear.
Both of the Mainstream candidates are going to do the same thing if elected there is no differences between them.
Write in Ron Paul!!
If I see someone in my yard wearing a ski mask and carrying a gun, I'll shoot first and ask questions later!
were neck deep in the big muddy now huh????
OMG-Angela I have a similar story to share.During the entire two years that I lived in Salisbury proper(city limits) the SPD came to my door on SIX seperate occasions looking for who I will call "Ms.Doe",the prior female occupant of my rental house,who apparently had warrants.Each time they came I would tell them-she moved out 6 months ago!The last time they came they knocked on my door very loudly at 5:30 AM and TWO armed officers asked for her.Did I also mention that Ms.Doe was described as black female, early 20's,120 lbs and that I am white,almost 40 and weigh almost 200?I cannot help but think that I had I matched the description in any way,I may have been forced to provide ID or been carried away in cuffs and what I would have done,how I would have felt.Addresses change,people move or get tossed out-all the time.Before busting down doors they need to do some recon.
wymzie said...
"Anon4:47,
You left out the part about being disarmed to wait in fear.
Both of the Mainstream candidates are going to do the same thing if elected there is no differences between them.
Write in Ron Paul!!"
Yes, there is a fundamental difference. Obama is a liberal, as far left as they come. McCain is much more moderate. That's why he's not popular with true conservatives. But compared to Obama, he's Goldwater!
Wymzie and bosshogg have to be the most simple minded people I have the wonderfully funny entertainment of reading; they are a riot. Write in for Ron Paul? Why, so he can get 3 to 10% of the vote? Wymzie, just go ahead and cast your vote for Obama since that will be the net effect of a vote for Paul.
Wymzie says both mainstream candidates will disarm us? Obama may wish to strip us "bitter" white Americans of our guns and religion, but a president doesn't have the power to do that. Even the Supreme Court doesn't have the power to do that. It would take a constitutional amendment, an almost impossible task, to overturn anything in the bill of rights or any other article of the constitution. On an issue like the right to bear arms, that would be extremely close to impossible. Yes, we should be VERY watchful of our government, but it helps to understand just a little bit of how it actually works! We, also, shouldn't waste our votes! Voting for Ron Paul is state of the art stupid if one is voting on gun control issues, by voting for Ron Paul, Wymzie gives advantage to Obama, the most liberal candidate in recent memory. Nice thinking wymzie! If you don't want an extreme liberal at the head of our government:
Have a brain, vote Mccain!
I agree that if the raid in question was conducted with no more information than we know at the present, it was an absolute atrocity. I would vote for hanging the officers who perpetrated such violence and their superiors who gave the orders. But has anyone considered that the mayor may have been under investigation for a long time and been involved in other deliveries? I'm not saying the mayor did ANYTHING wrong. But let's see what information develops before we hang law enforcement or anybody else. If the police exercised such force on the strength of one delivery that could have come from anyone. Well, some official heads need to roll! Like I said, let's see what facts develop.
THOMAS AUGUSTUS LITTLETON
Wake up America! This government is not constitutional. Investigate statutory law. It is not constitutional!
Our constitution calls for 3 types of law. Admiral law - on the high seas. Contract law- between two or more people. Common law. Common law no longer exists!
Common law has been replaced by Statutory Law. The Government says it is so, . . . and therefore, it is LAW.
Statutes are the type of law Kings order of their " slaves ". Statutory law is unconstitutional and most Americans know nothing about it.
The IRS and the 13th ammendment are also unconstitutional, but most Americans know nothing about it.
We deserve this Facist Dictatorship, because we are too ignorant to resist it.
Martin Luther King Jr. destroyed a perfectly good revolution.
Cowman Scents.
I would like to make one small point on this blog. Let me say that, I am not in any way trying to justify the behavior of these officers, personally, it makes me sick.
I would like to say, however, that this attitude, this way of thinking that the police are a bunch of bullies, taking pleasure in brutalizing innocent people, is not only wrong, but also only contributes to the problem of tension between the public and the police.
Is it true that some bad seeds slip past the polygraphs and background checks, yes, of course it is. But the majority of us really are in this job to help people. The next time you see a police officer take a minute, before you glare at him, or turn to your buddy to make a nasty comment, and think about this...
I have seen what you fear to see.
I have done what you fear to do.
I know what it feels like to be terrified and alone in the night.
I would give my life to protect you, I have sworn to do just that.
Every time I leave home to go to work, my wife worries that I won't come home to her.
If I offered you my badge and my gun, would you take it? Would you give your life for me?
"Greater love hath no man, that he who would give his life for his friend."
Once again, I'm not justifying anything. I am simply asking you to remember that there are good people in law enforcement.
The police had a right to go in the house based on the warrant. however the warrant was a no knock warrant. the only way to overide a no knock warrant is if the is the possibility of evidence being destroyed, or if there was grave danger to the officers attempting to serve the warrant. The was 32 lbs of weed. that cannot be destroyed in the amount of time it would take for the police to gain entrance. The raid was compromised by the mayor's mother in-law who started screaming hysterically. It would be hard to articulate that the screaming would have caused the officewr's life to be put in danger. the second point of contention is the killing of the dogs. any swat team worth its salt knows that the meanest pitbull usually defecates itself and runs to hide as the team makes entry. the one in a hundred attack dog that would stand and fight can be dealt with in a variety of less lethal means that i wont go into here. the issue is not them raiding the house and handcuffing the mayor and the mother inlaw. The P.G County police swat team as well as the P.G Sheriff swat team are probably the two most unprofessional teams in the state of maryland. that is saying a lot considering the joke of a swat team that the somerset county and the worcester county sheriff offices puts out. Wicomico county has the only decent team on the lower shore.
This never would have happened in Pocomoke.
It never would have made the newspapers…
Why?
Simple the cops would have ‘confiscated’ the drugs then given them to the politically protected drug dealers for retail sale on Fourth Street.
The proper share would flow back to City Hall to the appropriate people managing the situation.
Happens every day of the week.
Anyone ever wonder why the only “drug busts” by the Pocomoke City PD are women with a little grass who refuse to blow the cop???
Crude but true check the records.
It’s Pocomoke…
Once again, I'm not justifying anything. I am simply asking you to remember that there are good people in law enforcement.
7:29 AM
You my dear are more than likely a professional officer, however, we pay your salary to do your job just as we paid Mr. McMicheal,s from the Sheriff's department as well as a number of officers who believe they are above the law. I would suggest you talk to your surperiors and communicate your concern regarding the cover ups for individuals in law enforcement. There have been many incidents in Wicomico County that were never reported. Why? The head of the Departments cover for these so called officers and it gives the whole department a bad name. You as an officer should be held to an even higher standard, as you took oath that you would abide by the law. Also, why do you hear so many people say when they go to court "The Cop Lied"? Well many of them do. They add things to the event that never happened. So with that said..put yourself in our position and tell me how you would feel about officers? This happens in all professions. If your company has a bad reputation then everyone there has a bad reputation.
9:40
you said
but also only contributes to the problem of tension between the public and the police.
there shouldn't be any tension between the public and the police. If the public feels tense around the police that is everyone's problem, but as the authority figures, the police shouldn't feel one iota of tension around the public. And that is really the problem; that the police have distanced themselves from the public and created this distance. The only way to re-earn our trust is to change the way you act. The onus is on you.
But then you go on to write:
I have seen what you fear to see.
I have done what you fear to do.
I know what it feels like to be terrified and alone in the night.
What kind of macho-man, psychotic army-of-one BS is this? You are not an assassin, you are not a soldier. you are a laughing stock and a clown. You haven't done anything. You deal with scum and lowlifes 10% of the time and you hassle average joe's the rest of the time. Stop acting like you go out and risk your life every day. You don't. You take every opportunity to save your hide and avoid any kind of dangerous, real, criminals.
If I am wrong then please defend yourself and tell me what it is you do all day. Tell me some ways in which you help me, a tax-paying, law-abiding citizen.
In conclusion:
I am not afraid of gangs.
I am not afraid of being mugged or murdered.
But you are. And maybe that's why you carry a gun, and a badge. Because you are afraid.
It's you who worry me. Because people who are afraid are the really dangerous, unpredictable, stupid ones.
Quick wymzie - put on your Aluminum Foil Hat. I'll grab the rifle and you get the box of MRE's and bottle water and we'll meet you in the basement.
-TC
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