Swat raid Kansas home. Couple spends $25k to find out why.

[planetdoc]

http://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/...o-familys-home

Full story at the link. Summary with excerpts below.

SWAT raids a leawood couples home with guns drawn. Put them and their young kids on their couch. Find nothing illegal, and seize nothing. Kansas law prevents them from finding out why they were raided.

After the raid, the couple thought they could access public records to find out why law enforcement suspected drugs were in their home. They told 41 Action News they were shocked to find out they could not access any of those records under Kansas law.

Turns out they were raided because they made a LEGAL purchase from a Legal buisness that was under LEO observation.

Records show on Aug. 9, 2011, a Missouri Highway Patrol trooper observed a man leaving the Green Circle hydroponics store in Kansas City, Mo., in a KIA with his children and a small bag.

Bob said he had been to the store to get supplies for a science project he was working on with his son: a basement hydroponic garden.

LEO performed field tests of tea leaves in the couples trash, prior to the swat raid, that was a false positive for marijuana. They only sent those samples in to the crime lab AFTER the swat raid that indicated they did not contain any illegal substances.

The embarrassing misstep for deputies would have remained hidden if the Hartes had not had the means to spend money to gain access to the records. The family has also been contacted by people across Kansas trying to figure out how to access records about themselves. Addie said many of the people who have reached out to her do not have the same resources financially to fight to get records released.

“This not what justice in the United States is supposed to be. You shouldn't have to have $25,000, even $5,000. You shouldn't have to have that kind of money to find out why people came raiding your house like some sort of police state,” Addie Harte said.

[crazycoffey]

I'm much more concerned with how politicians are ruining this great country, pissing on the constitution

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by GloucesterChief

He still does. He just has a gig at the Washington Post now.

I should have been more clear. He used to collect daily data on this and post it on his blog "The Agitator". He and I have a fairly similar position on drunk driving laws, which is how I began following him.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by crazycoffey

I wasn't trying to turn it that way with you either, I give the level of respect I get in these debates. I do think pot raids by swat teams are possible overreaction, again there would have to no more to the background for me to make a blanket statement.

I do not see a bunch of departments being over equipped or over stepping their bounds to the epic proportions as some of the propaganda here has been suggested.

I do see respect for LEOs on a heavy decline, as well as general respect for each other that leads to crime requiring police involvement. I agree to checks and balances, and despise abusive cops as much as I despise abuse of cops. People are challenging authority in negative ways. There has to be a line that we can all agree when it gets crossed, the problem is defining that line to everyone's satisfaction.

Take the story I shared earlier, the brother stabbing, cop assaulting, mom ****ing nut ball says he's going to kill me if I touch him after he assaulted his mom and I go to arrest him. Do I have to actually wait for him to pull the knife and lunge at me before I can articulate accurate actual fear for my safety? Do I have to approach him like I do not have that prior knowledge of what he's capable of doing? If you saw a video of that final incident I may look too trigger happy for you, but that's because you didn't know the history.

Isn't it at least possible there's more to these stories too?

And that was probably too long winded. Sorry. Not trying to be aggressive with you or insulting. He pricks sending oink oink reps can **** right on off

As for the couple examples of minor theft busts and suspected pot activity, I'm sure you've probably seen enough online like I have to draw a professional opinion from... minor crimes that somehow get built up into SWAT raids, and at the end of the day it turns out they got the wrong house or the crime didn't fit the response etc... its all over the news these days, my man.

Lives, both civilian and LEO are being put at risk for reasons that don't add up.

Dude, I've heard the stories firsthand... my Mom directed training classes for LEO for 23 years, I've yapped with many cops and pushed them for stories... I get that, swear I do... there are a LOT of idiots and straight up bad jacks out there. But its this feeling in communities across America these days that ANY crime, even if you weren't a part of it and your family was flashbanged and drug out of bed at 3am because of something the NEIGHBOR was suspected of doing and they got the wrong house.

All too often anymore police are defending these mistakes... "it was unfortunate, but no one was ultimately harmed" as if that's a decent excuse,l what if this innocent family man shoots back at his bedroom door being kicked in by mistake?

That's what I'm asking you to think about.

I GET that LEO are in danger every single day, swear I do and the bigger the town the bigger the threat... but it just seems like too many of you guys are willing to kick ass and ask questions later, like its becoming official policy.

You're cool by me and I believe you to be one of the good guys, the guy I hope shows up when I need help... but the fact is, people are more and more becoming reluctant to trust the police.

Is it our fault, or the police?

[Randallflagg]

Originally Posted by crazycoffey

I'm much more concerned with how politicians are ruining this great country, pissing on the constitution

First off, I want to apologize for my behavior. I suppose that, just like you, I, as well as a lot of others here get a little "sensitive" about these issues and, when confronted, react harshly. I have never looked at the police as "pigs" - My Uncle would have kicked my ass - and I have never felt that way to begin with. Unfortunately, it is usually the young and the hot-tempered who love that invective. I am neither young, nor can I afford (at my age) to be hot tempered any longer. My "ass-kicking" days are well behind me.

This country is changing before our eyes. Since my birth in 1949 - I have seen this country change in ways that, frankly, perplex the living hell out of me. Part of that is age and another part is probably a bit of paranoia (again - age) of current events. Unfortunately, we do have a problem in the United States with "some" of these organizations that are purported to "protect" the citizens taking too much of the "law into their hands" and becoming "Judge, Jury and executioner".

Unfortunately, it is happening much more frequently today and seems to only be getting worse. Since the original post on the homeless man in New Mexico, I have began research ( what the hell else do I have to do?) and some of the things transpiring within the bounds of the United States are extremely disturbing.

Here is an example of what I am talking about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNlLcyu8m6E

This is an incredibly long, drawn out video of what can happen in a matter of a couple of hours to a man who "didn't stop" when he should have and took the PA State Police on a "slow speed" chase. The Troopers were in no danger whatsoever, this individual never ran a stop light, a stop sign or ever broke any law other than not stopping. Frankly, I think the guy is mildly reeruned. If not before, most definitely now.

Understand, I am NOT taking this man's side, with the exception that the beating he takes - you wouldn't do to your worst enemy.

Again, Officer Coffey, I apologize for my rude and boorish behavior and again, I applaud your service.

[Abba-Dabba]

Originally Posted by crazycoffey

I honestly don't know why pot isn't at least decriminalized yet. Or why distribution charges are such a small amount. But I don't make the laws. I know not all weed smokers do harder drugs, but almost everyone doing crack/meth/or heroin also smoke weed, so that makes an obvious connection that some departments or special drug units target.

They also drank alcohol, smoked tobacco, ate beef and were developed in a uterus.

Quite frankly, there really isn't any hope for you. Your statement shows you are a true believer in the gateway drug theory. But fail to recognize the even more true gateway drugs, tobacco and alcohol. Which I would put money on that you are a user of at least one, if not both.

The problem I have with LEO taking the know-it-all path concerning drug use, as if we normal citizens don't go through it with our own families, friends and co-workers, is that you are no more an authority on drug use than any one else. You may like to think you are, but in reality you are not. You know what a very small percentage of drug users, who just happen to the dregs of society do. So in other words, your experience with drug users probably isn't very representative of them as a whole. Just like you say the vast majority of LEO's aren't abusive, the vast majority of drug users aren't as LEO likes to portray them.

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by RubberSponge

They also drank alcohol, smoked tobacco, ate beef and were developed in a uterus.

Quite frankly, there really isn't any hope for you. Your statement shows you are a true believer in the gateway drug theory. But fail to recognize the even more true gateway drugs, tobacco and alcohol. Which I would put money on that you are a user of at least one, if not both.

The problem I have with LEO taking the know-it-all path concerning drug use, as if we normal citizens don't go through it with our own families, friends and co-workers, is that you are no more an authority on drug use than any one else. You may like to think you are, but in reality you are not. You know what a very small percentage of drug users, who just happen to the dregs of society do. So in other words, your experience with drug users probably isn't very representative of them as a whole. Just like you say the vast majority of LEO's aren't abusive, the vast majority of drug users aren't as LEO likes to portray them.

Are you sure you read that post?

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by crazycoffey

Are you sure you read that post?

No hope for me

[Garcia Bronco]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Why does everyone keep associating that with the state of Kansas? The SWAT raid was conducted by the Johnson County Sheriff's office. The Kansas records law in place is wrong, sure. But the raid and the people who will (likely) be sued because of it are the Johnson County Sheriff's office.

You're missing the point.

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by crazycoffey

I'm much more concerned with how politicians are ruining this great country, pissing on the constitution

pretty much this. As for this couple and the swat raid, I think if the police make a mistake, they should just admit it and everyone can move on. I'd be mad as hell if my home got raided for no reason and then the local law enforcement pulled the "talk to the hand" routine. That's not how you garner respect from the general public.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

I don't think they care about respect to be honest. They can simply do what they want, any time they want.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by crazycoffey

I'm much more concerned with how politicians are ruining this great country, pissing on the constitution

As if they're not one and the same...

LEOs, politicians, all part of the same bloated, corrupt bureaucracy.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by crazycoffey

I honestly don't know why pot isn't at least decriminalized yet. Or why distribution charges are such a small amount. But I don't make the laws. I know not all weed smokers do harder drugs, but almost everyone doing crack/meth/or heroin also smoke weed, so that makes an obvious connection that some departments or special drug units target.

That's some seriously ****ed up logic.

Almost everyone doing crack/meth/heroin (which are COMPLETELY different drugs with COMPLETELY different effects ) have drank a glass of water at some point.

WATER IS A GATEWAY DRUG!!! Arrest everyone!

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

As if they're not one and the same...

LEOs, politicians, all part of the same bloated, corrupt bureaucracy.

the feds are a lot worse than local law enforcement. The ATF is a joke, the department of Justice and Eric Holder is a joke.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

the feds are a lot worse than local law enforcement. The ATF is a joke, the department of Justice and Eric Holder is a joke.

None of them are accountable to anyone or anything.

All of them can do whatever they want and they usually get away with it.

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

That's some seriously ****ed up logic.

Almost everyone doing crack/meth/heroin (which are COMPLETELY different drugs with COMPLETELY different effects ) have drank a glass of water at some point.

WATER IS A GATEWAY DRUG!!! Arrest everyone!

Sorry you don't like it, water is legal while weed is not. As far as politicians and police being the same, take a class kind sir, politicians MAKE the laws you despise so much. Police only enforce them...