Maryland Storm Troopers kill Berwyn Heights Mayor's dogs in drug r

[kandrathe]

Evidently, a package shipped from Arizona to Maryland was detected enroute by drug sniffing dogs. The cops decided to deliver it, then storm into the house and kill his dogs. Great police work. Would they stop to think that maybe the package was supposed to be intercepted before it got to Maryland, or the mayor's house? Would they perhaps investigate if it was a scheme to implicate the mayor? Or, maybe it was attempted murder by cop, for a paltry $20,000 of dope. How about talking to a judge and getting a search warrant to "knock" on the door and search the house for paraphernalia and politely question the suspects? Nope, "drugs" gives the cops the license to bring in the SWAT team and bull doze down the front door.

The full story is -- Police Raid Berwyn Heights Mayor's Home, Kill His 2 Dogs

[Artega]

Evidently, a package shipped from Arizona to Maryland was detected enroute by drug sniffing dogs. The cops decided to deliver it, then storm into the house and kill his dogs. Great police work. Would they stop to think that maybe the package was supposed to be intercepted before it got to Maryland, or the mayor's house? Would they perhaps investigate if it was a scheme to implicate the mayor? Or, maybe it was attempted murder by cop, for a paltry $20,000 of dope. How about talking to a judge and getting a search warrant to "knock" on the door and search the house for paraphernalia and politely question the suspects? Nope, "drugs" gives the cops the license to bring in the SWAT team and bull doze down the front door.

The full story is -- Police Raid Berwyn Heights Mayor's Home, Kill His 2 Dogs

Apparently dogs running away from them are a threat and must be dealt with appropriately :whistling:

[Tris]

I didn't see anything one way or other about search warrants.

You don't need to knock in some cases, where the police believe that evidence will be destroyed in the time that it would take to knock, etc.

Looks like there may be another mayor walking in the footsteps of good ole Marion from D.C.:)

Regarding the paltry amount (value) of the drugs. far more aggressive means have been used for far lesser amounts of drugs. If this were a raid of an alleged crack dealer in some ghetto it never would have made the news. Well, maybe, but it certainly wouldn't have gotten the treatment that the mayor's story got.

As far as the dogs go, having worked with Akron and Summit County police officials, while working with the court sytems. Police doing raids *hate* dogs, because one never knows how they've been trained. This is especially true of large ones.

And, think about it for a moment. Would *you* take a large package into your house if you didn't know where it came from? Esp one that probably smells a bit like a skunk?

[kandrathe]

... Looks like there may be another mayor walking in the footsteps of good ole Marion from D.C.:)

However, this mayor actually seems to be more of a boy scout. I think the police should use appropriate restraint when deciding to apply force.



Here is another couple articles on the raid; Another Police Raid; More Dead Dogs
and Residents Honor Mayor, Slain Dogs at Rally

From what I can tell, this is a case where the police failed entirely to investigate. Yeah, it might be the case that the squeaky clean image is a facade, but then the police should have had ample evidence to arrest someone. Instead, they walked away from the raid mumbling something about the wife maybe being a person of interest. In other words, they said "Oh crap, this isn't a crack house after all. We have no suspects."

And, if you get the search warrant, and do the friendly knock, and subsequent Columbo routine, then the home owner can have time to restrain his champion black labs, rather than kick down the door and "needing" to shoot the dogs as they are running away from you.

I mean, what are the criteria that would lead you to bring in a raid? Was this a known dangerous place with people defending with guns? Were these people going to flee the scene? Destroy the evidence? They brought the evidence, and with a properly executed warrant there is little time for people in the home to destroy anything.

[Jester]

Legalize!

It's that simple.

-Jester

[kandrathe]

Legalize!

It's that simple.

-Jester

It still won't stop the jack booted thugs from kicking down doors for other reasons. Maybe you tried watering your lawn on an odd day instead of even.

[Delc]

I mean, what are the criteria that would lead you to bring in a raid? Was this a known dangerous place with people defending with guns? Were these people going to flee the scene? Destroy the evidence? They brought the evidence, and with a properly executed warrant there is little time for people in the home to destroy anything.

Its way more fun to run in and shoot things, especially when you know there is a good chance no one is going to be shooting back.

[Jester]

It still won't stop the jack booted thugs from kicking down doors for other reasons. Maybe you tried watering your lawn on an odd day instead of even.

Sure. Because cops go crazy over that lawn watering stuff all the time.

It's drugs that's far and away the biggest contributor.

-Jester

[kandrathe]

Sure. Because cops go crazy over that lawn watering stuff all the time.

It's drugs that's far and away the biggest contributor.

-Jester

Maybe the "weed" needs watering? :D

Followup: I guess watering is justification for homicide in Australia though.

[kandrathe]

Its way more fun to run in and shoot things, especially when you know there is a good chance no one is going to be shooting back.

I hear that. :) I hope the PG County police agency leaders get a reprimand, and the judge who authorized the "no knock" order should be held accountable as well since he is the oversight that needs to "read" warrants and prevent executive excess.

[Occhidiangela]

Legalize!

It's that simple.

-Jester

Legalize or decriminalize? Alcohol is legal, but there are still criminal penalties for not selling or distributing it within certain guidelines. I'd suggest decriminalize dope, as a starter, and go from there. Carte Blanche legalization stands to risk some unintended outcomes, as the War on Drugs has in its own way.

Occhi

[Griselda]

And, think about it for a moment. Would *you* take a large package into your house if you didn't know where it came from? Esp one that probably smells a bit like a skunk?

My husband takes packages into the house all the time without knowing what they are. Mostly it's stuff that I've ordered, and he knows not to snoop too closely because there could be presents involved. He would have done the same "take the package into the house and set it on the table by the door" thing mentioned in the article.

[Artega]

My husband takes packages into the house all the time without knowing what they are. Mostly it's stuff that I've ordered, and he knows not to snoop too closely because there could be presents involved. He would have done the same "take the package into the house and set it on the table by the door" thing mentioned in the article.

Better buy your pets Kevlar vests, then.

[eppie]

Evidently, a package shipped from Arizona to Maryland was detected enroute by drug sniffing dogs. The cops decided to deliver it, then storm into the house and kill his dogs. Great police work. Would they stop to think that maybe the package was supposed to be intercepted before it got to Maryland, or the mayor's house? Would they perhaps investigate if it was a scheme to implicate the mayor? Or, maybe it was attempted murder by cop, for a paltry $20,000 of dope. How about talking to a judge and getting a search warrant to "knock" on the door and search the house for paraphernalia and politely question the suspects? Nope, "drugs" gives the cops the license to bring in the SWAT team and bull doze down the front door.

The full story is -- Police Raid Berwyn Heights Mayor's Home, Kill His 2 Dogs

After having watched the TV show cops several times I am not surprized that these things happen.:mellow:

[oldmandennis]

The problem is once you have started a SWAT team because it sounded tough, sexy, and hard on crime, you need to let them kick down doors or they are a waste of money. Having the means justifies using them.

As horrible as this is, there are a bunch more cases around the country where **people** are dying. Sometimes its even the wrong address. Somebody dressed in all black comes barreling in at 2am, and a homeowner reaches for a legal gun kept for self defense, then bang bang a dead person over a small bag of weed or a wrong address.

Following the links it would seem that they had a warrant, but not a super sexy no knock warrent that justifies the SWAT team kicking the door down and shooting on sight. Here's hoping lawsuits and firings ensue.

Here's an interesting map showing all the inappropriate police actions. Read some of the descriptions - its fairly sickening. One that I randomly clicked on (blue dot in Stockton, central California) is the cops make a drug arrest, and the suspect gives a family members address. SWAT team storms in on somebody who speaks limited English, who grabs a pistol and starts firing wildly. He kills one of the cowboys before they shoot him. No drugs were found.

[--Pete]

Hi,

The problem is once you have started a SWAT team because it sounded tough, sexy, and hard on crime, you need to let them kick down doors or they are a waste of money. Having the means justifies using them.

Other half of the problem: anyone who would *want* to be on a SWAT team is probably not someone who should be on a SWAT team. Do we really need trigger happy adrenalin junkies enforcing our laws? Maybe we should send all the SWAT teams to Iraq and let the National Guard (bunch of doctors, lawyers, and Indian chiefs) enforce the laws here. (OK, I really don't like that idea, either).

--Pete

[Occhidiangela]

Hi,
Other half of the problem: anyone who would *want* to be on a SWAT team is probably not someone who should be on a SWAT team. Do we really need trigger happy adrenalin junkies enforcing our laws? Maybe we should send all the SWAT teams to Iraq and let the National Guard (bunch of doctors, lawyers, and Indian chiefs) enforce the laws here. (OK, I really don't like that idea, either).

--Pete

As a data point for you, three of the guys on the local SWAT team served in Iraq for multiple tours. I met them through a relative, who is a cop.

In their case, sending tham back would not be fair, as I see it.;)

As to the National Guard "enforcing laws" I am none too keen on that either, given what went down in New Orleans regarding confiscating firearms on dubious premises.

As to politicians getting to enjoy the harassment package: good. Keeps them in touch with what the regular people deal with.:P

Occhi

[--Pete]

Hi,

As a data point for you, three of the guys on the local SWAT team served in Iraq for multiple tours. I met them through a relative, who is a cop.

In their case, sending tham back would not be fair, as I see it.;)

To them, or to the Iraqis? :lol:

As to politicians getting to enjoy the harassment package: good. Keeps them in touch with what the regular people deal with.:P

I've no problem with the politicos getting a bit of it back. It's the dogs I feel sorry for. There's a special place in hell, even in my atheist hell, for those that mistreat dogs.

--Pete

[Occhidiangela]

Hi,
To them, or to the Iraqis? :lol:
I've no problem with the politicos getting a bit of it back. It's the dogs I feel sorry for. There's a special place in hell, even in my atheist hell, for those that mistreat dogs.

--Pete

Amen to that.

My idea of an Atheist Hell is having to listen to Joel Osteen talk to Pat Robertson and the Pope, 24/7. Am I close?

Apropos of nothing, my dog just got back from surgery for a growth on his spleen, and the doctor gave me the wonderful news: he has doggy cancer. Looks like less than a year to live, though he has bounced back from surgery nicely. Seems his liver, and stomach, have attracted what was in and around his spleen.

We've had him for 11.5 years, and the vet and I had a very long talk. We'll keep him with us for a while, until it starts to eat him from the inside. Then, we'll give him the lovingest Dr Jack treatment we can.

God, I love my dog, Figaro, the greatest, friendliest dog ever. Gonna miss him, but I've been prepping the kids, and myself, for a year, having kept an eye on the calendar.

Sigh.

Occhi

[--Pete]

Hi,

Apropos of nothing, my dog just got back from surgery for a growth on his spleen, and the doctor gave me the wonderful news: he has doggy cancer. Looks like less than a year to live, though he has bounced back from surgery nicely. Seems his liver, and stomach, have attracted what was in and around his spleen.

We've had him for 11.5 years, and the vet and I had a very long talk. We'll keep him with us for a while, until it starts to eat him from the inside. Then, we'll give him the lovingest Dr Jack treatment we can.

God, I love my dog, Figaro, the greatest, friendliest dog ever. Gonna miss him, but I've been prepping the kids, and myself, for a year, having kept an eye on the calendar.

Sigh.

Occhi

Sigh, indeed. Sorry to hear that, it's always sad when we lose a friend, especially the devoted four footed type. Enjoy the time you have, and when it is time, do indeed do the Dr. Jack. Fortunately the law still lets us be kind to our animals, though it'll jail us for being kind to each other.

--Pete