Sheriff's entered my home

I hope this is in the right forum, if not please feel free to move.

I usually do not post often here.

So last night aroung 4 a.m. two sheriff's entered my home. I sleep with the door closed, so they managed to get my room mates attention. To wake him up, because our side door on our garage was open?

What they told him, was they have had some break ins, so they some how thought our garage may have been broken into.

They wanted him to look around and they ran his name and stuff, and after everything checked out, they went on their way.

I woke up at some point and heard some of the interaction.

My concern, is why they chose to enter our house?

I understand if they wanted to protect us and make sure no one was being robbed. But no unusual cars were outside, just the same cars as for the last year. And it was 4 in the morning? And it was not for our actual garage doors being open, but for our side door (normal door size) being open. Has been open in the past many times. And they chose to enter the house. Kinda bugs me a little bit.

I hope they were only doing there job. But my room mate said, they looked like rookies (at least one of them).
I was always under the impression an officer could not enter your home unless authorized. That is my main concern. I did not think I could wake up and see a sheriff in my house.

reply to post by MoosKept240


Why are they not in fresh graves, and have their pictures up on the wall at the sheriff's office?

/TOA

reply to post by The Old American



I do not think anyone should be in a grave. I am just concerned and felt the need to share.

Originally posted by MoosKept240
I do not think anyone should be in a grave. I am just concerned and felt the need to share.

Agreed. I think TOA's response was a little extreme, under the circumstances. I would advocate armed self defense only in a scenario where the police themselves exhibited threatening behaviour; or possibly if they refused to leave the property when asked, depending on the situation. Neither of those scenarios occurred here.

OP, if you have the money for it, I'd consider getting a few cheap security cameras and putting them up in the house perhaps, in concealed locations. When I was living alone I considered that idea myself, although I didn't have the money at the time.

That way, if the police do anything they shouldn't, you will have evidence.

reply to post by MoosKept240



I find it very odd that two officers would walk into a home for no valid reason, except a side garage door left open...and some break ins had been occurring . This is NOT a valid reason for two officers to enter your home there is something fishy about this....at 4: am?

I would contact the authorities and ask why they would do such a thing , and if that is usual procedure ?

reply to post by MoosKept240


Don't get me wrong as I am pro-police (mostly). However, these strangers were trespassing and entering without a warrant. Your property rights were egregiously violated. I have a family to protect, and in today's climate where the police are acting out of character, a stranger in my home uninvited would wind up on a table somewhere, uniform or not.

Don't take this lightly, sir. File a complaint and have it on record.

/TOA

reply to post by petrus4


Hey thats a good idea!

I have a small camera I have never hooked up, I did not think of that. I think that may put me at a little ease.

It just gets under my skin a little bit, that they just walked on in.

The law in my State allows them to enter for the exact reason you stated. To make sure a break in was not occurring (that you were safe) and that everything is ok at your residence. Why did they do an ID query? Easy, because your roommate could have been a burglar and merely stated "Oh yeah Officer, this is my house... trust me".

So would you like it if you were tied and gagged in a room and heard the cops leave simply because they took on good faith your roommate was not said thief without verification of some sort?

You would be here griping how the cops came and did nothing in your situation if it went down that way.
He did not have to give them ID most probably, but in case like this they do have probable cause to get this information to ensure your safety. Me myself, i would NEVER leave my door open to my house while i was asleep to allow anyone (cops or otherwise) to gain easy access to my house. Its also known as "keeping honest people honest" in my neck of the woods. You must live in a really small town to be doing this practice IMHO

reply to post by The Old American


I understand you point of view.

I do not wish to file a report because I live in a small town, and we do not have a police department, just the sheriffs run around. And if this is a one time deal, then I would prefer to leave it at that, then be harassed any further.

reply to post by protoaz


I do see your point as well.

Just that nothing (to me) was out of the ordinary.

Our house is separate from the garage, with a car port joining the two. And the door in reference was the side door to enter from the car port. And I leave it open on numerous occasion.

It just seemed to me at least, in this situation, they almost just chose to walk in and check on us?
I could understand if lights were on, or odd cars were in the drive. But just the normal evening really.

reply to post by gabby2011



Really?? just like cops have no reason to approach you at all at 3 am in the morning if your messing under the hood of your car? Right, sure thing. If you had nothing to hide you would not mind it at all if they were checking to make sure you were not jacking a car. I absolutely love that idea! It is people like you who complain and wonder where they were, or why they did not do anything in situations described in this thread. Its all called probable cause... and if its out of place and odd timing, yes they can and will do these things.

So a store leaves there door open accidentally at night and the cops should just drive by like "meh... lets go get some donuts.. everything has to be cool there"? Should the store owner press charges for trespassing if they did enter? (would get thrown out in an instant) Nothing to see here move along... it is perfectly normal for people to leave access to their homes in the middle of the night... sorry how wrong of us law enforcement to encroach on your civil rights for mere protection.

5 will get you 10 that they weren't following up on break-in's. You BS-o-meter (bologna sandwich) triggered because they were full of it. True they were probably rookies and probably thought they were listening to their gut instinct. And then like every other law enforcement officer I've ever met they turned coward and spoke the first BS excuse that came to mind.

I hate it when they do stuff like this. But remember, all cops are cowards at heart. and there is a good reason for that...

Police and Law enforcement understand and operate through fear. They understand fear. They operate through fear. Everything else is just posturing. Basically they are all bullies.

reply to post by MoosKept240


But my room mate said, they looked like rookies (at least one of them).





The only rookie move here was leaving the area unsecured...rather than point out your own inadequacies, how 'bout you learn from the experience and keep it to yourselves..?


Don't invite the devil in, keep him out...

reply to post by MoosKept240


Yep, thats definitely weird. How big is the town you live in? The city I'm in has about 50,000 and there have been a rash of burglaries in the last month, but our cops aren't proactive enough to even do a stakeout, even though the thefts are all in the same area.

It seems they were looking for something else and gave your roomie a line of bs. They waited until everything 'checked out'? Then left? Doubt you'll ever know for sure.

Can't remember where I heard this, but back a couple years ago cops were going around checking for unlocked doors at night as a community awareness program. Ring a bell to anyone?

Have you checked your premises for surveillance equipment?

Just a thought.

I would recommend contacting the sheriffs dept and just ask abou it dont give your name or any info just ask what their procedure is on that and find out. If it is not procedure then there is a problem. did your buddy happen to catch a name or badge number on eaither of the officers? If so I would advise asking if there are officers by that name on the department. I say this because it very well could be that these guys were posing as police and looking to scope out the house.

Originally posted by MoosKept240
reply to post by The Old American

 

I understand you point of view.

I do not wish to file a report because I live in a small town, and we do not have a police department, just the sheriffs run around. And if this is a one time deal, then I would prefer to leave it at that, then be harassed any further.

That makes sense. LEOs in small towns are pretty notorious for harassing you for being a good citizen. Hope it doesn't happen again. Peace!

/TOA

reply to post by protoaz


Think of it this way.

In the police report it would say, "saw side garage door open, we went in!"

Not sure that would hold up.

Just sayin..

reply to post by JROCK2527


That's a good idea as well. I wonder, I may just ask a friend to do it for me, so I dont even have to be involved with the call.

If your really that upset then call the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and ask to speak with their shift commander or a field supervisor.

I don't know how it works in Kansas, but here in New York a law enforcement officer is totally within his/her rights to check an open door, or anything that seems unusual/out of place.

BTW: sorry about this part but it's a pet peeve of mine when people talk about "the sheriffs"/"a sheriff". There is only ONE sheriff in a county ... there are however multiple deputy sheriffs. They are properly referred to as deputy, deputies, or by their rank ex Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Major, etc. Sorry again, this is just a pet peeve that gets to me.