[jim35]

"...Since when do burglars break into houses to take showers?..."

It didn't say he was taking a shower, or that he was naked and wet, just that he was crouched down, hiding in the shower. The same "idiot" contractors could have just as easily foiled a burglary with a timely phone call if the circumstances had been different. Nevertheless, in general you are correct about this being a general mess up, but it hardly rises to the level of state despotism.

[wita]

The point is, if you wait for state despotism, you have waited too long. Police cannot make mistakes, in these circumstances. For over forty years, the US military handled nuclear weapons, flew them all over the world, had them at the ready, and NEVER made a mistake with them, because proceedures were in place to prohibit misstakes because one mistake was all you got. The same holds true with dynamic entry into the homes of citizens.

IMHO the government cannot afford mistakes, and any number higher than one, is too many. Which brings us to police/military style raids on the homes of citizens, and I contend that two police in suits with concealed weapons, is firepower enough. If you are serving a warrant, then serve it at your risk, not the citizens. That would show sufficient willingness to allow "innocent until proven guilty in a court of law" to prevail.

[Fresh Wind]

My apologies, I confess to not having read the unnecessarily excerpted article. It looks like there is enough blame to spread around to all involved, including the victim.