MikeK
April 12, 2003, 09:22 PM
I know the people in the following story. Nancy Powers is like a second mother. The newspaper account is watered down. The police held them at gunpoint for at least 15 minutes. These are people in their 80's and 70's, one with an amputated leg, one with serious illnesses and the male an ex-marine. As soon as the police broke in they explained that there was an West xxx address as opposed to their East xxx address. Apparantly no surveilance was done by the police.
After the police PR guy talked to them and they basicly told him to shove it, a female trooper, who coincidentally belongs to their church, showed up.
At any rate, they are getting angrier by the day, and the police have supposedly put pressure on the local media to keep it quiet.
I've read about this type of incident before, but it really hit home this time. Any thoughts on how they can get more publicity.
They asked to see the warrant the next day, but were told it was sealed.
The link is dated, but a search will turn up the story.
__________________________________________________
http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2003/04/06policeraidwrong.
> html
>
> Police raid wrong house
> Elderly couple shaken up after state troopers break in
> By MURALI BALAJI
> Staff reporter
> 04/06/2003
> An elderly couple and their house guest were left shaken and angry Friday
> night after state troopers mistakenly burst through the door of their New
> Castle home with a battering ram during a raid.
> Walter Taplin, 83, his wife Patricia, 74, and guest Nancy Powers, 72, were
> awakened at 9:45 p.m. by the sounds of banging against the door. Moments
> later, troopers dressed in black came through the entrance and detained
> the residents before acknowledging their error and leaving the house
> shortly before midnight.
> Delaware State Police spokesman Maj. Joe Papili said Saturday that
> troopers had the wrong house.
> "We did do a series of search warrants in and around New Castle County
> last night," he said. "As a result, we made a mistake."
> Papili would not say what the investigation was about or how the mistake
> happened.
> But the Taplins' daughter, Patricia Hinchliffe of Annapolis, said the
> incident has left her parents in shock. She said her parents first thought
> they were being victimized in a home invasion-style robbery.
> "My father thought they were going to kill my mother; my mother thought
> they were going to kill my father," said Hinchliffe, who drove to her
> parents' house Saturday after hearing of the incident.
> She said her parents were unable to sleep after the raid and were
> traumatized for much of Saturday.
> Papili said he went to the house Friday to reassure the Taplins and called
> them Saturday to offer further assistance. He said the police will pay for
> damages to the front door.
> "We're extremely sorry for any pain we caused," he said. "We'll review our
> policies and procedures to make sure this doesn't happen again."
> But Hinchliffe said her parents' feeling of safety has been taken from
> them.
> "They have been violated," she said. "This is unconscionable. It shouldn't
> happen."
> Reach Murali Balaji at 324-2553 or mbalaji@delawareonline.com.
> <mailto:mbalaji@delawareonline.com>
>
After the police PR guy talked to them and they basicly told him to shove it, a female trooper, who coincidentally belongs to their church, showed up.
At any rate, they are getting angrier by the day, and the police have supposedly put pressure on the local media to keep it quiet.
I've read about this type of incident before, but it really hit home this time. Any thoughts on how they can get more publicity.
They asked to see the warrant the next day, but were told it was sealed.
The link is dated, but a search will turn up the story.
__________________________________________________
http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2003/04/06policeraidwrong.
> html
>
> Police raid wrong house
> Elderly couple shaken up after state troopers break in
> By MURALI BALAJI
> Staff reporter
> 04/06/2003
> An elderly couple and their house guest were left shaken and angry Friday
> night after state troopers mistakenly burst through the door of their New
> Castle home with a battering ram during a raid.
> Walter Taplin, 83, his wife Patricia, 74, and guest Nancy Powers, 72, were
> awakened at 9:45 p.m. by the sounds of banging against the door. Moments
> later, troopers dressed in black came through the entrance and detained
> the residents before acknowledging their error and leaving the house
> shortly before midnight.
> Delaware State Police spokesman Maj. Joe Papili said Saturday that
> troopers had the wrong house.
> "We did do a series of search warrants in and around New Castle County
> last night," he said. "As a result, we made a mistake."
> Papili would not say what the investigation was about or how the mistake
> happened.
> But the Taplins' daughter, Patricia Hinchliffe of Annapolis, said the
> incident has left her parents in shock. She said her parents first thought
> they were being victimized in a home invasion-style robbery.
> "My father thought they were going to kill my mother; my mother thought
> they were going to kill my father," said Hinchliffe, who drove to her
> parents' house Saturday after hearing of the incident.
> She said her parents were unable to sleep after the raid and were
> traumatized for much of Saturday.
> Papili said he went to the house Friday to reassure the Taplins and called
> them Saturday to offer further assistance. He said the police will pay for
> damages to the front door.
> "We're extremely sorry for any pain we caused," he said. "We'll review our
> policies and procedures to make sure this doesn't happen again."
> But Hinchliffe said her parents' feeling of safety has been taken from
> them.
> "They have been violated," she said. "This is unconscionable. It shouldn't
> happen."
> Reach Murali Balaji at 324-2553 or mbalaji@delawareonline.com.
> <mailto:mbalaji@delawareonline.com>
>