The problem is, some of them are. Others are fortified drug storage and distribution facilities manned by really bad guys with big guns. Others are mistakes like this one.
So it's easy to criticize--I've done my share of criticizing ATF. But how do you avoid this? Do you send officers into unknown situations without scary looking flak jackets and helmets? Do you give bad guys 30 seconds warning to pick up their guns? Do you politely request permission to enter?
The problem is the ongoing decline and fall of Western Civilization. My brother in law is a cop. In today's world, every encounter with a citizen is scary. It's hard to stay alive and not be uber-cautious because the country is full of psychopaths with RPG's. If you're a cop, you err on the side of overwhelming force and pray you don't make mistakes.
“So it’s easy to criticize—I’ve done my share of criticizing ATF. But how do you avoid this? “
Well, if it takes months of investigations, tracking down leads, questioning informants, filling out forms for a warrant, and getting a judge to sign it....
I’d say the way to avoid it, is to get the address correct.
I can't remember the last time I heard about someone having an RPG.
But when mistakes happen (and you know that they do!), who pays the price? Certainly not the officers. It is the innocent bystanders. They pay, and sometimes pay the ultimate price.
There are better, albeit less sexy ways of minimizing mistakes. Like following up with intelligence (I know, Oxymoron) before unleashing the dogs of war. Situational awareness: Who is coming and going, that sort of thing.
Perhaps the approach should be different. Not that I have the answers here, but how about shutting off the water, gas, and electricity, jam cell phones, and surround the house. Give them a chance to surrender before "Dynamic entry" is tried. Innocents and most all bad guys will give it up in seconds. If the boys wanna escalate, then drive the APC through the house. IMO, safer for all, but certainly not sexy.
The only thing that I can say for certain is being hated by everyone for your tactics is not sexy. It is hurting law enforcement.
Yes to all of the above. Otherwise these guys shouldn't be in the law-enforcement business, because NOT doing those things is un-Constitutional.
They might try reading the street sign twice, just to make sure they’re at least on the right street.
The ONLY time a “no-knock” raid is justified is if there are hostages involved.
The entire “preventing destruction of evidence” canard is moot, since every sewage system has manholes where a screen or bucket can catch everything flushed down the crapper.
If the police are too inept and/or lazy to ensure they are at the correct address, they should be held criminally liable for their every ILLEGAL action. A “raid” on an incorrect address is a home invasion by thugs, whether they wear a uniform or “gangsta” clothing.
I agree that society is worse than a couple of generations ago.
My brother in law is a cop. In today's world, every encounter with a citizen is scary.
I thank your Brother-in-law for his service, but I disagree that every encounter with a citizen should be "scary." Proper caution should be taken for every encounter, but if he's walking around scared in everyu encounter, he's in the wrong job.
It's hard to stay alive and not be uber-cautious because the country is full of psychopaths with RPG's.
I think I now understand why he is scared with every citizen encounter. He's operating off of some very bad information.
If you're a cop, you err on the side of overwhelming force and pray you don't make mistakes.
If he is operating with this mindset, lawsuits and likely criminal charges are in his future. And you can count him as one of the reasons for the ongoing decline and fall of Western Civilization
I went through two seperate acadamies in the 1980s. Is this what is being taught today? We were taught how to be ethical and correct in our actions.
You avoid this by disbanding ATF ASAP.
Not even a smattering of liberal, gun-hating, fear-mongering, over-the-top hyperbole in that one, eh...?
</SARCASM>
How about serve the warrant (if they have one) with a knock on the door? They used to do that back when we had a more civilized government.
Um...will you kindly cite a brief list of examples (at least two!) of citizens armed with “Rocket Propelled Grenades”?
How do you prevent the stormtruppen kicking in the doors of innocent Americans who are blocks away from the target site ? How about having cops who can read a address on a warrant,a street map, street signs,the address on the house/mailbox as a minimum .
Gotta pull the BS flag on your comments.
Your brother is a paranoid and needs therapy and a new job IF that is how he truly feels/thinks/reacts..
HE SERVES US, remember? The government of the people, for the people and by the people?
Yes, every citizen deserves due process of the law, our rights are more important than your bro’s feelings, that aspect came with the badge. If a BG executes a lethal threat, then by all means LEOs (and citizens) have a right, responibility and duty to smoke them, so don’t get me wrong.
True, there are bad guys out there, but 99.998% of us are not, therefore, tread lightly!
Show me stats of incidents of RPGs being toted/used by the bad guys in any quatity. I truly doubt your veracity. This is not an epidemic, nor even a factoid. Thankfully, we are stopping most illegal weapons from entering this country (certainly, small scale illegal import/export takes place-guns do get into the wrong hands- methnks the DEA/FBI and ICE lost most of them...).
I will assume, since I am a law adiding citizen, that anyone breaking down my door is a home invasion in progress and will react appropriately (dial 911, lock myself in the bathroom etc).
Molon Labe