So Hizzoner, the mayor, says he "eliminated" no knock warrants two years ago, but they continued and now his excuse is that he is not notified when a judge issues such a warrant.
Okay -- the judges don't work for the city. But the cops do -- so if the city really intends to eliminate no knock warrants, make it the SOP that ALL such requests must be approved -- in writing -- by the mayor before being taken to a judge. Any cop who fails to observe that protocol gets two weeks off without pay for a first offense, a month without pay for a second offense, and termination for a third offense.
And the judges all get notified that any request for a no knock that doesn't bear the mayor's signature is automatically invalid.
But ending no knocks is only part of the problem. We also have to end so-called "knock and announce" dynamic entries, where the cops tap gently on the door, whisper "POLICE! OPEN THE DOOR!" and then 30-1/2 seconds later smash in the door. Functionally, there is no difference at oh-dark-thirty between a no knock and a "knock and announce." I know that I'm a heavy sleeper. I think the courts have ruled that 30 seconds is how long the cops have to wait before they can break down the door on a so-called knock and announce raid. That's not enough time. I KNOW that some mornings I don't wake up until 6:10 or so -- and the alarm goes off at 06:00, so I sleep through the alarm for ten minutes. How can I expect to wake up, recognize and understand that someone is knocking on my door, register that fact, and get from the bedroom to the door within thirty seconds? Especially since what I should be allowed to do is to first call the police and ask if they have dispatched cops to my address.
A number of years ago I received a phone call from the local PD dispatcher, advising me that there were officers waiting to enter my house and that I needed to secure my dogs. This was interesting to me because (a) I couldn't see any police cars in my driveway, and (b) I didn't own any dogs at the time. It eventually transpired that the cops were at a house a half mile away, and the occupants had the same last name. That family had an unlisted number, so the dispatcher just called the first number he found with that last name -- me.
And some people don't think the cops get information wrong on these warrant requests.
