WSJ on "no-knocks"

[Gunfire]

Like Robert said, nothing against education but the best I know, start with alot of common sense and aren't the educated bots that can't think for themselves but can pass a written test with flying colors. Better pay would go along way to attract those individuals.

 

[Art Eatman]

First off, look at the requirements for many PDs as regards eligibility for employment. Few of them are anything like Washington, D.C.

If you want better educated people in law enforcement, pony up. TANSTAAFL. Promote a specific new tax on something to raise more police-salary money at the same time you promote higher standards.

Note that many LEOs already have college degrees, or are working toward a degree on their own time and billfold.

Art

 

[carebear]

Art,

How about we take the money we're already paying from something that isn't a government duty and just use it for the police, which are?

 

[ProguninTN]

Botched raids

I would personally see red every day while in jail wrongfully.

I would as well. Also, I'd be cooking up a lawsuit. (or at least trying).

 

[beerslurpy]

Also, I'd be cooking up a lawsuit.

Welcome to prison. It seems that every prisoner is cooking up several lawsuits. Ones with access to pensions can file even more. I would estimate we spend millions or billions every year fending off prisoner brought causes of action.

To add insult to injury, many of them are incoherent, display misunderstanding of how the legal system works or are intentionally frivolous to waste the court's time.

I have been told that the classic "Motion to kiss my ass" is a pretty represenative example of the sort of mischief that prisoners get up to in prison.

This, of course, is the ugly unintended consequence of giving convicted felons unfettered access to the legal system with the time to use it.

 

[xd9fan]

Its not enough to just say lets have more education. Limitations and protections need to be in place reguardless of education. Without these you just have highly educated members of the "state".
Like it or dont LEOS represent the "state"

99% of all the members of Congress are highly educated. Does this protect us? NO.

Limitations on them, citizen protections AND meaningful punishment for those that violate Rights (still holding my breath on this--see New Orleans)

 

[Igloodude]

I was watching "Texas SWAT" a few nights ago, and one SWAT member confided to the camera that "for procedural reasons" they had to knock and wait ten seconds at the house they were about to raid, and he was not happy about it. Fortunately (in his mind) someone looked out the window at the SWAT team approaching and that negated the ten second requirement.

And yes, I know "the plural of anecdote is not data".

 

[50 Freak]

You want better educated cops better be prepared to pay them more than 10 bucks and hour. You really can't expect the best and the brightest to join the police when they barely make enough to scrape by. I have a master's degree yet I only make $25,000 a year, and I am one of the better paid deputies at my department. I agree education levels need to be raised, but to do this, tax payers are going to have to be willing to dip deeper in their pockets.

Not a problem in my book. I'd pay a few dollars more out of my taxes if it means that LE's requirements are raised. Hell the local PD's starting salary here is $69,000-$89,000.

That ain't some chump change.

I honestly think that raising the bar on becoming an LE will get us better LE's. Not saying college is the end all determinant of smarts. But the 4+ years it takes Joe Smoe to complete college will mature him up many times over than the guy straight out of high school and applying for a LE position.

BACK TO THE SUBJECT NOW.

No Knocks....bad.....
Better police work....good.....

Actually about 8 months ago, I think I could have been subject to a no knock. I got a knock on my door around 2 pm on a Sat. I opened my door to 5 LE's and three squad cars parked in front of my house. The supervising officer was a bit of jerk at first.... Here's how it went.

Me: Ahh...Hello, how can I help you.
Officer: YOU KNOW WHY WE'RE HERE!!!!
Me: Ahh...No I can't say I do....
Officer: One of your neighbors called in to report that you were running around your back yard shooting a machine gun...
Me: OHHHHH, you want my neighbor....He's next door and he's playing with his new airsoft rifle....
Officer: Oh......We figured it wasn't a machine gun....
Me: Yah, I can get him for you, or you can just go next door and knock....this is a duplex and we share a common backyard.

Anyways, had the LE's wanted to, I guess I could have been answering the door to SWAT instead of 5 officers. It worked out for the better as the LE's had a quick chat with my neighbor, then put some rounds downrange out of the full auto airsoft AR, said "COOL, gotta get one for my kid" and left.