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.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Because kansas.

Yep. In Missouri, they kill family dogs during SWAT raids.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/russ-b..._b_567172.html

[Easy 6]

Good thing they actually had 25k to find out what the problem was... but nah, you kooks and your conspiracies, always on the lookout for BS you're willing to believe in.

Funniest thing about this is that they're former CIA employees... maybe that will help shed a little extra light on this phenomena.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by BiStateNo

Hit a raw nerve didn't I Barney? I have no doubt that you are a cop . you stand by your brothers well with your "us versus them" mentality. And yes, I would have charged those "heroes" with every court martial offense I could come up with. "I wanted to be with real men doing real work" . Uh -huh. And that "real work" followed you home with your Guard unit, didn't it? I'm in no way belittling the work you did during your service. I applaud it. My biggest problem with vets that come home and go to work for the police is that they can't put Iraq, or Afghanistan or whatever, behind them.

The picture IS reality mister. Show me one SWAT team that doesn't put on their little GI Joe uniforms. Just one. And I am NOT a "Viet Nam era vet" I joined in 1967 as an E1. Basic Training and AIT at Fort Benning, GA - 11B. Got orders to Viet Nam in March 1968 and fought at Li Trau, and the Ashau Valley. Wounded once and spent 3 months in hospital at Frankfurt Germany. Returned to the 25th Infantry and remained there until I was wounded AGAIN North of Quang Tri June 1970. When I left Viet Nam - I was a SSG 11B40. I then transitioned from 11B to 97B and attended Warrant Officer School at Fort Devens MA and then at Fort Huachuca AZ. I then returned to Germany where I served at Heidleberg (USEURER) Command and the 8th Inf for the next 2 years and then at Berlin ( at both the Berlin Brigade and the American Embassy at Berlin) and then at the embassy at Moscow for 2 years.

I retired in 1989 as a CW4. I am a life member of the VFW, the American Legion AND, as a bonus, the NRA.

While I understand your anger, defending the indefensible will get you nowhere. There are fine police officers out there. I STILL believe it. But there are FAR too many out there who believe that this "us versus them" mentality gives them free reign to turn the public into the enemy.

I was talking to one of those retired "First Sergeants" that you are so fond of the other night at the hall. We were enjoying a beer and talking in general and he asks me "Chief - are we losing this country?" And I told him that we (he and I - won't see it) but I have a feeling that our great grandchildren will live in a totally different country that we defended and live in. Think I'm kidding? Just ask the NSA, The IRS, police agencies. The NSA operates in direct violation of Federal Law on American Soil, The IRS has one of the most extensive Security Forces on the planet, Police agencies routinely deny Americans their Constitutional Rights (and then laugh it off) and are being armed (Again, against the Constitution) as though they are an invading force. Why?

Tell your buddies to go on with their "us versus them" mentality but I will caution you with this: There are a hell of a lot more of "Them" than there are "us".

I'd say you provided the bona fides pretty well there, and sentiments like yours and the tops at the VFW are becoming far more the norm than the "outsider" view... the more I look around online, the more I see current and retired military... not just private dick... but Birds and recent former Generals sounding the alarm about whats going on in this nation.

As for Coffey, I don't doubt for a minute he's a good guy who wants to help, don't doubt it for a second, born and raised American and all of that good stuff... but somethings gotta give with these police forces today.

Without making a separate post about it Coffey, I'd encourage you to join the Oath Keepers... current and former military plus current and former LE who've banded together to maintain the oaths they took to our Constitution.

Not that you are currently, but don't let your fellow citizens (in spite of the ball slinging mom bangers out there) eventually become your enemy, you're a son of America who took an oath to uphold the Constitution.

[GloucesterChief]

Radley Balko is a great journalist when it comes to police abuse. You should read his book, Rise of the Warrior Cop.

Its a sad thing that not many journalists are willing to bite the hands of those in power. That includes the cops, judges, and prosecutors.

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by scott free

I'd say you provided the bona fides pretty well there, and sentiments like yours and the tops at the VFW are becoming far more the norm than the "outsider" view... the more I look around online, the more I see current and retired military... not just private dick... but Birds and recent former Generals sounding the alarm about whats going on in this nation.

As for Coffey, I don't doubt for a minute he's a good guy who wants to help, don't doubt it for a second, born and raised American and all of that good stuff... but somethings gotta give with these police forces today.

Without making a separate post about it Coffey, I'd encourage you to join the Oath Keepers... current and former military plus current and former LE who've banded together to maintain the oaths they took to our Constitution.

Not that you are currently, but don't let your fellow citizens (in spite of the ball slinging mom bangers out there) eventually become your enemy, you're a son of America who took an oath to uphold the Constitution.

I do uphold the constitution, I don't prejudge incidents outlined in the huffington post, CP or a 4 minute video. Guess I'm funny that way, I want to know more details about an incident before I decide anyone, citizen, police, military, immigrant, whoever; did something wrong.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by crazycoffey

I do uphold the constitution, I don't prejudge incidents outlined in the huffington post, CP or a 4 minute video. Guess I'm funny that way, I want to know more details about an incident before I decide anyone, citizen, police, military, immigrant, whoever; did something wrong.

I don't want a pissing contest with you, dude.

I've stated that I believe your heart to be in the right place as a LEO... but its hard to guess what info you need to see about this police militarization that might make even you wonder just a bit.

Some of these departments are going too far, using SWAT tactics where old fashioned police work would do just fine, without the risk of escalating situations... I get that some people in America today are NUTS, just like the story you told the other night.

It just seems to many Americans that we're ALL being viewed through that "NUTSO" lens these days... assuming the worst about everyone can inevitably lead to bad consequences for all involved.

SWAT raids for minor theft and pot busts? c'mon Coffey, you've seen too much of life to think that's necessary, right?

[Simply Red]

as it turns out - Kansas was looking for someone to sub in for their tired players during the Stanford game.

[Simply Red]

[GloucesterChief]

Anyone in Kansas who believes in transparency in government should probably vote out state Rep. Jeff King.

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by scott free

I don't want a pissing contest with you, dude.


SWAT raids for minor theft and pot busts? c'mon Coffey, you've seen too much of life to think that's necessary, right?

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

[WilliamTheIrish]

Coffey, why not just arrest the man in broad daylight? This is where we differ. The cops put themselves in great danger by escalating this.

I'll say it again: Steve Shively, Topeka, KS. Killed a cop as they were busting down his door at 0200am. He had sold a 1/4oz of weed to an undercover. He was a non violent offender and could have been arrested at any time.

Instead, the cops break down his door, he (legally blind... Glasses as thick as coke bottles), having purchased a firearm the previous month after being burglarized, blindly fires at the door.
His shot goes through the door jam, hits a Topeka police officer in the shoulder, just outside the coverage of his vet. The bullet travels along his clavicle and is deposited in his aorta, tearing it open. He bleeds out and dies.

It's not an appropriate tactic in at least 75% of the cases it's used. (solely my opinion, no study to back it up). Defending these tactics leaves a sour taste.

[DaFace]

My wife is visiting family in Wichita this week, and she told me that there was an article in the paper (not sure which one) that asked the question "Why are more people moving out of Kansas and fewer people moving in?"

It's because Kansas is being run by a group of complete and utter idiots. I can't believe that that answer deserves a newspaper article.

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Coffey, why not just arrest the man in broad daylight? This is where we differ. The cops put themselves in great danger by escalating this.

I'll say it again: Steve Shively, Topeka, KS. Killed a cop as they were busting down his door at 0200am. He had sold a 1/4oz of weed to an undercover. He was a non violent offender and could have been arrested at any time.

Instead, the cops break down his door, he (legally blind... Glasses as thick as coke bottles), having purchased a firearm the previous month after being burglarized, blindly fires at the door.
His shot goes through the door jam, hits a Topeka police officer in the shoulder, just outside the coverage of his vet. The bullet travels along his clavicle and is deposited in his aorta, tearing it open. He bleeds out and dies.

It's not an appropriate tactic in at least 75% of the cases it's used. (solely my opinion, no study to back it up). Defending these tactics leaves a sour taste.

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.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by GloucesterChief

Radley Balko is a great journalist when it comes to police abuse. You should read his book, Rise of the Warrior Cop.

Its a sad thing that not many journalists are willing to bite the hands of those in power. That includes the cops, judges, and prosecutors.

Balko used to blog about it, but he gave it up. Cato's doing it now:

http://www.policemisconduct.net/

[GloucesterChief]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

Balko used to blog about it, but he gave it up. Cato's doing it now:

http://www.policemisconduct.net/

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