A guy sits down to watch the World Series, drink beer, and clean his World War II-era firearms. A quiet, relaxing evening in his own home. He could not fathom that the “Mobile Emergency Response Group and Equipment Team” would soon be on the scene to “neutralize the threat” he is posing to the community. The “Team” forces him out of his apartment with flash bang grenades, chemical gas canisters, and rubber bullets.

The details are set forth in this recent judicial ruling.

Yet another example of the disturbing militaristic mind-set that pervades too many of our police agencies. Unnecessary provocation and violence. Unfortunately, the judiciary essentially approves, even lauds, the police work, but nevertheless issues a tiny $1 rebuke because the agents failed to obtain an arrest warrant during this “standoff.” 

Now the city has a budget of $3 billion, but it decides to appeal instead of paying out a measly four quarters. From the point of view of the government attorneys, it was apparently crucial to spend who-knows-how-many-taxpayer-dollars to defend police power and to keep the warrant requirement precedent off the books.

The Constitution is supposed to be “the supreme law of the land,” but consider how much regard the police showed to the right to keep and bear arms and the right to be secure in our homes against unreasonable searches and seizures. Anyone who thinks this is an “isolated incident” should study this, this, and this.