Police raid felt like home invasion

A woman was standing at her kitchen sink when she suddenly had a red dot on her and a man in a hunting vest outside her window. She didn't know it was the police so she screamed and went for her gun.

After leaving her operating room scrub nurse duties at Sarasota's Doctors Hospital on Wednesday, Louise Goldsberry went to her Hidden Lake Village apartment. Her boyfriend came over, and after dinner — about 8 p.m. — Goldsberry went to her kitchen sink to wash some dishes. That's when her boyfriend, Craig Dorris — a manager for a security alarm company — heard her scream and saw her drop to the floor.

Police raid felt like home invasion

I don't know how I would have reacted in this situation. I'm brainwashed to trust the police, but this seems to be a step too far. As time goes on I trust them less and less.

How would you react in this situation? What do you think about this incident?

I guess I would be a dead man and have a few of them leading the way. Then, they will quickly plant some things in there to make me look like a menace to society so they could go home at night. The media will buy the story and the end. It's frightening that this could happen to anybody at any given moment.

I guess I could see a raid if it was a life threatening situation,but I just don't see why cops just don't do surveillance and pick up the criminals when they come out of their hideout.

Peace

I think Police Departments are getting far far too much like military units. From training to armored vehicles to these (self bleep bleep bleep and bleep bleep) sneaky tactics to surprise people like an ambush in a true war zone.

We're civilians...THEY ARE CIVILIANS and if a war is what they wanted, there is still one going to be a part of and rumor has it, another coming soon to join.

Idiots/Criminals/Fools like that cop playing Rambo or whatever he thought he was doing are precisely what most gun owners have home defense weapons FOR. Never expecting a Police Officer to appear like a well armed home invader.

Cops need to go back to foot beats in downtowns, traffic enforcement and marked street units. Enough with every Dept having a TV worthy detective group and SWAT team that would make some military units shake their head and avoid them entirely. This is beyond out of hand.

Wow, i just read the article and i can't say i wouldn't react the same way! Gun pointed at me through a window and someone swearing like a sailor demanding you open the door? Hell no

There was no warrant, and no reason to believe the person they were looking for was in that apartment. Apparently a "tip" that a wanted man might be in a general area gives the police the right to raid any house they want, with zero repercussions for breaking and entering, assault, or scaring the hell out of the law abiding citizens.

This is just sick and just goes to show how far the police state has come. How anybody can deny it is beyond me.

DC

reply to post by suz62


If I was an US citizen in this situation I would have done the same thing, get down and prepare to engage in defensive combat. In fact I'd do the same thing here in the UK but I'd have to get my baseball bat and that is useless against an armed intruder.

Is it not law or customary procedure in the US for any form of law enforcement to identify themselves before doing something like this? I mean of course exceptions stand with reason, but this just seems callous on the behalf of that officer.

From what I have read he should be stripped of his badge or at the least forced to undergo training into how you approach a suspected criminal or crime scene. The source gives no inclination to why the officer was their in the first place.

Edit
I just read the extra pages... silly me, but still this approach was all wrong. You don't need to be a law expert to read that.

reply to post by suz62


i like this part at the end.

Goldsberry wasn't arrested or shot despite pointing a gun at a cop, so Wiggins said, “She sure shouldn't be going to the press.”

don't go blabbing about the way us cop's treat you if we don't shoot you. jerk!

I'd like to know why the cop was wearing a hunting vest instead of something identifying himself as a police officer.

Originally posted by suz62
I'd like to know why the cop was wearing a hunting vest instead of something identifying himself as a police officer.

i kinda think she confused a tactical vest with hunting vest. and they usually say what department they are from on the back.

Loving this quote :

Maybe none of them had a gun pointed at them through the kitchen window, I suggested. But Wiggins didn't think that was much excuse for the woman's behavior. He said he acted with restraint and didn't like having that gun aimed at him.

Wow really? someone give this guy a medal

Well a 32 caliber pistol will only get you so far with five rounds in it while you are in a state of panic. I wonder what firearm he was holding in his calm like state. Obviously this chap was cool, calm and considerate in his state of mind and just doing his every day job to the best of his ability.

Originally posted by suz62
I'd like to know why the cop was wearing a hunting vest instead of something identifying himself as a police officer.

That's the new sport for cops it seems.

ammo..check...Big-ass gun...check...military garb...check...armored personnel carriers...tank...check...

Compassion...nope...Miranda rights cue card...nope...respect for the Constitution...nah.

Defenseless civilians...go get 'em!

Peace

I'm a little surprised by the lack of humility on the part of the police. They scared the living crap out of this woman and then they whine about her reaction to the incident.

I used to really be behind the police but my perspective is steadily shifting against them due to their behavior as a group. Strangely, they don't seem to hear the "message" that people are less and less enamored of them. They seem to have entrenched themselves in their militaristic posture instead of making a sincere effort to improve community relations.

Editing to add that I had the police in my home recently for a fire response. The officer was not very nice. He clearly did not want to be here to assist me. I didn't ask him to come. I assume it's routine for them to come.

reply to post by suz62


The down side to a raid like this is the one's that are truly innocent, such as this couple, have no idea what the hell is going on and the cops won't say a word and treat them like criminals until they are convinced other wise.
In this case, they said the apt. was clear of the suspect which whom they were looking for and the couple was free to go.

Then the lady was ridiculed by the man in charge for pointing a gun at him.
Maybe if she had never seen the red dot, they would have not been so panicky and opened the door.
Why the hell were they pointing the gun at her to begin with??

reply to post by suz62


the comments are quite instructional

I learned a new word today "copster"
[mobster or lobster?]
this ones a gem

johntmullins (signed in using yahoo)
Michelle Liberty Martin the phrase "POLICE, we HAVE A WARRANT." could not be used because they did not have a warrant. More to the point what ever happened to coming to the door and politely knocking. Then explain your actions. I know a lot of cops don't want to because it can be scary. Maybe they should sell ice cream instead

The police want in, get a warrant. If they didn't see the fugitive fleeing from them and enter, where is the probable cause to demand entering.

Is this now been legalized?

Think the Boston search was a one time situation.

Further on in that same article:

“I feel bad for her,” Wiggins conceded, finally. “But at the same time, I had to reasonably believe the bad guy was in her house based on what they were doing.”

Goldsberry wasn't arrested or shot despite pointing a gun at a cop, so Wiggins said, “She sure shouldn't be going to the press.”

She sure shouldn't be going to the press?

That's what the press is for!

There has been a serious militarization of the police in this country and we as citizens have the duty to stand up for our constitutional rights.

Those cops should have been charged with breaking and entering, Assault with a deadly weapon, & Committing a terrorist act under section 802 of the Patriot Act.

now just imagine some "smart" crooks, start doing "police style" home invasions, actually pretending to be police/swat/fbi or whatever. then what happens? sadly with all the police KILLINGS (more like MURDERS), lately i can see the day approaching where as soon as people see a cop they will SHOOT as a "preemptive self defense" against getting killed by the cops when they have done nothing wrong, even without situations of non identification causing someone to panic thinking it is a home invasion.

markings on "vests" or jackets is NO HELP at night since police seem to be TRAINED TO blind you with their LIGHTS, so they need some OTHER way to identify themselves. police should ALWAYS clearly not only identify themselves vocally, and in a situation like this a bull horn should be required, then send up ONE officer with both ID and WARRANT and calmly/nicely allow both to be considered by the person, BEFORE raiding.

i remember once as a kid almost smacking a cop upside his head with a 2x4 because he did not identify himself properly, he just sauntered towards us without saying anything at all. my friend and i were NOT expecting to see a cop, come around the corner from where a van that had just tried to run us down had JUST gone. we were of course expecting whoever was driving it had come back to finish the job since we had avoided his swerving towards us. the only thing that saved the cop from us attacking him was the fact that i just happened to catch a glint of light off his cap badge in an otherwise dark area. i don't think that cop knows how lucky he was that night since he never did see the 2x4 in my hand. there IS NO EXCUSE for cops NOT IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES properly, before doing anything.

reply to post by hounddoghowlie


It doesn't do any good on the back, unless the cop is running away. It doesn't help that many times they wear wind breakers to cover their gear and prevent glare or reflection.

The way these guys acted was beyond over the top. If it had been me, I would probably be dead. I would have been firing my Glock 26 through the window. I keep it on me most of the time. I would have reacted based on training.

Reply to post by generik

After the abuse has occured they always act like youre just supposed to "know" they were cops.

They use confusion as a tactic, blind you as a matter of course, wear more ambiguous uniforms year after year, drop all markings from their vehicles or, my favorite, black out their markings, and still youre just supposed to "know" theyre cops.

Either they are retarded as # or they think we are.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


my personal favorite is the "stealth marked cars, you know the ones where the words like "police" are barely a shade different from the rest of the car, using a reflective paint you almost have to hit square with headlights to see it. yet in court....."how could you NOT know it was the police, it was after all a "marked" police cruiser".

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
I think Police Departments are getting far far too much like military units. From training to armored vehicles to these (self bleep bleep bleep and bleep bleep) sneaky tactics to surprise people like an ambush in a true war zone.

We're civilians...THEY ARE CIVILIANS and if a war is what they wanted, there is still one going to be a part of and rumor has it, another coming soon to join.

Idiots/Criminals/Fools like that cop playing Rambo or whatever he thought he was doing are precisely what most gun owners have home defense weapons FOR. Never expecting a Police Officer to appear like a well armed home invader.

Cops need to go back to foot beats in downtowns, traffic enforcement and marked street units. Enough with every Dept having a TV worthy detective group and SWAT team that would make some military units shake their head and avoid them entirely. This is beyond out of hand.

I completely agree, except the part about civilians. As they are currently armed, they're just another part of the military, and they're working against the public. Until things change, that makes them the enemy.

In the 8 years I've lived in my town I've had my car broken into by a criminal once to steal loose change. I've been physically assaulted by cops, including a wrongful home invasion (which of course included them killing the dog and breaking possessions that took years to acquire) three times.

Right now the score is:
Assaulted by cops - 3 times.
Murdered pet by a cop - 1 time.
Damage to property - Over $15,000 split between electronics, housing, and a car.

And for the criminal side of things:
Vehicle "broken" into (the door was unlocked, they didn't even have to bust my window) - Once
Damage to car - None
Amount stolen from car - $1.10 in nickles and pennies.

So far the cops have caused me more problems than the criminals.