No Knock Raid ...

[Dave P]

... or Why to buy a Deadbolt Lock?

Men Posing As Officers Invade Volusia Home

Two men allegedly posed as Deland police officers and robbed a Volusia County, Fla., apartment early Sunday, according to Local 6 News.

Investigators said the two masked suspects entered the home of Aisha Harris and her 7-year-old daughter at the County Club Apartments in Deland while they were sleeping.

The armed men yelled that they were police officers, according to the report.

"I heard someone say, 'Deland Police Department, get down,'" Harris said. "I said there is no money here, there is no money here." "They said it was like if you don't tell us where the money is at, you will never see your daughter again."

As the suspects moved around the apartment, police said one of the men turned, saw a reflection of himself in a mirror and fired a shot, Local 6 News reported.

The bullet traveled through the wall of Harris' apartment and grazed a neighbor in a nearby apartment.

"We just heard a big bang and my friend got up and said 'my back is hurting,'" neighbor Ben Shutte said.

Shutte said it was a miracle his friend was not killed by the bullet.

The suspects reportedly only got away with $34 from the home and a credit card. Local 6 News reported that $5 of the stolen money was from the woman's daughter.

Police were searching Sunday night for the suspects.

 

[mercedesrules]

Last year about this time I was sitting watching TV at around 8:00 pm when a gold pickup drove up our long, country drive. Since we always lock the gate, I grabbed a gun. A man rang the doorbell, then immediately knocked loudly. He was wearing a shirt that said, "Police" in large letters and carried a large, Maglite-type flashlight. Without opening the door, I asked what he wanted. He said that he had found our gate unlocked, that it was usually locked and that he wanted to inform us. Knowing that we had locked it, I said, "Thank you" and waited for him to leave - gun behind my back. His accomplice(s?) had turned around and was now headed out. The crook made a dash for the truck and they hightailed it. We called 911, but it took them 2 hours to arrive; (they thought that they had caught the men but when they brought them to me for identification, it wasn't them.)

I didn't feel like risking my life and that of my wife trying to apprehend several young intruders (I'm a 59-yr.-old guitarist - not Rambo. We're pretty far from civilization). We're fine, but when crooks wear official-looking clothes it really makes you hesitate. I can't imagine the hassle if I shot a real LEO no matter what he was up to. At least the local posse knows that I won't accept any yokel in a police shirt as the law anymore. I made a point to be wearing a shoulder-holstered 1911 with two extra mags when they arrived and during the identification.

The following day, when we were in town to replace the lock, I spotted a newspaper headline that read, "Crooks dressed as police pick wrong house". Two guys dressed in LEO gear had been caught red-handed at the residence of a retired police officer. When he demanded their ID, they sped off through his fence. A chase ensued and they were caught. I think I recognize one as the guy at my door.

MR

 

[rebbryan]

the city here doesn't do "no knock raids" they always knock first and if the door isn't answered in one second they burst in. there is a problem with the raids though as stated here, if hollywood would keep their noses out of police business then there wouldn't be as much of a problem. another problem is you can buy "police" "sheriff" and "SWAT" shirts at army/navy stores and the like, i think that should be considered the same as buying a police badge, it shouldn't be legal

 

[TRLaye]

It is not illegal to buy police, sheriff, highway patrol, etc badges. It is illegal to represent youself as the "police" however.

I would support penalties for wearing "police" attire while posing as the "police".

You should not penalize those who collect, or wear as costume, police apparrel any more than you should penalize those who own guns with which they have done no harm. Regardless of wheter it's politically correct or not.

Tom

 

[JJohnston015]

One second?

Is that one whole second they wait before kicking in the door? That's pretty generous, I'd say. Normally I start blasting after a half-second.

 

[Azrael256]

As the suspects moved around the apartment, police said one of the men turned, saw a reflection of himself in a mirror and fired a shot

Is that some kind of Freudian thing? Like a Freudian slip, but a Freudian shot? Maybe he hates himself, but he can't admit it... remind me to stay out of the psych department lounge from now on.

 

[Standing Wolf]

As the suspects moved around the apartment, police said one of the men turned, saw a reflection of himself in a mirror and fired a shot...

Maybe next time he'll get it right and put the barrel in his mouth.

 

[Gmac]

Another consequence of the "war on drugs?"

 

[rebbryan]

in some places it's illegal to have the badges of depts from the county you live

yes they wait a WHOLE second, awful nice of them ain't it?

 

[tyme]

Hasn't some judge somewhere decided that badges are prima facie evidence of impersonation of an officer? I was under that general impression. I mean, security guard badges may be one thing, but I'd be really nervous about having a U.S. marshals or SS badge, for instance. I guess I'm just a properly conditioned citizen who's respectful of authority.