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Baltimore Sun on Maryland SWAT Reform Bill
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009Your humble Agitator is quoted.
19 Responses to “Baltimore Sun on Maryland SWAT Reform Bill”
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Irony in action-
‘”Our data shows that when SWAT teams are deployed, the violence goes down,” said John Gnagey, who was a SWAT team member for 26 years in the Champaign, Ill., police department.’
Violence for whom? Also, what data? Isn’t documenting deployments what they’re protesting against?
It would’ve been a stronger article if they would’ve provided an address for your report, Radley. Looks like changes are coming in Maryland!
Quote from LEO in the article
“However, the executive director of the National Tactical Officers Association says reporting requirements for SWAT teams should emanate from the law enforcement community, not legislators.”
Obvious question: where is the bill sponsored by this group? If you want to be taken seriously, offer something constructive.
Obvious second question: why can’t legislators put forward these standards? After all, law enforcement works FOR the people.
“High-risk situations that call for a SWAT team response include when police face suspects with weapons or who have taken hostages, the chief said.”
So the mere fact that a citizen owns (or might own) a weapon, although not at all illegal, is enough to justify calling in the SWAT team? Well, I guess if you set the bar low enough, SWAT can “reasonably” be called in for anything.
By the way, I loved the quote from the Police Chief: “The bottom line is that we had information that we believed the weapons can be in that home, the judge agreed and authorized to do the search,” McMahon said.
Aside from the grammar snickering, what was this information? Where did it come from? Do the judges there ever hold the police accountable for presenting wild, half-baked theories backed up by fictitious informants in order to get their judicially approved adrenaline fix?
“Nobody feels good about the fact that a dog was killed.” Anyone care to bet that in the Chief’s mind, the word “only” belongs between “that” and “a dog”?
And yet again I’m surprised by the level of idiocy on the forum comments. Favorite so far: “Are reforms needed? May be, may be not. Are civilians and the legislators the ones to dictate those reforms? Absolutely not!” Yeah, that makes a whole hell of a lot of sense.
PS–The police *are* civilians!
Their 3-year-old Australian cattle dog, Noah, was shot after retreating to Hasenei’s bed.
Sounds a lot like they blasted the dog even though it ran away. I guess they just wanted to kill something.
“Hasenei said his wife, Phyllis, and their 12-year-old daughter, Angel, are still rattled by the raid, which Phyllis said involved about two dozen SWAT team members.”
Add another family to the growing roster of people who will never trust the police. And their friends. And their families. And the more other police officers rally around these thugs the harder and harder they are going to find it to do their jobs.
Maybe we should let mobsters, rapists, and burglers regulate themselves as well. After all, they know what is in their best interest as well.
David, they thought the dog was trying to regroup to plan for a counterattack. Their delusions of military grandeur know no bounds.
3 Days to activate an account to comment?
The cops commenting in the forum make it clear why there is a problem.
Oversight should come from the cops/ uninformed Civilian Review Boards don’t work
If you think SWAT teams are a problem then get out of the country…
Sigh.
Marty beat me to the money quote.
Police never consider the violence that flows from their guns.
Police are a superior class in Amerika.
Us civilians are second-class at best.
Wow! The cop in charge of SWAT thinks people like him should decide whether they’re doing it right. I wonder how he feels about bank regulation? Or pollution standards? Or having his kids teachers do self-evaluation?
What a friggin’ arrogant self-serving blowhard.
And nicole is absolutely correct. Cop are civilians. They can quit when they like, have union representation, get to sleep with their spouse every night, do not face court martials, get paid overtime, …
They wear a uniforn, whoo hoo. So do letter carriers.
Well yeah, but according them nothing needs to be done, so therefore no bill is necessary.
C’mon don’t you know they are LEOs so therefore they are seperate and distinct. And we all know it is a short step from there to also including better, which implies non-LEOs are inferior. Thus, trampling the rights and terrorizing the inferior is no big deal.
“Our data shows that when SWAT teams are deployed, the violence goes down,” said John Gnagey, who was a SWAT team member for 26 years in the Champaign, Ill., police department.
I have seen Mr. Gnagey’s quoted statement… a number of times…since I first became aware…of SWAT officers being used…or should I say MIS-used…by police departments…that assign SWAT teams…to carry out police work…for which SWAT was never intended.
I cringe and my insides flip…when I read such quotes…about violence going down. They are not only…killing God’s four-legged creatures…they are using terrorizing tactics…on people…who do now warrant such treatment…and in the process…exposing human beings…to unnecessary deaths…too.
My son…Dr. Salvatore J. Culosi…even though…he had no criminal record…never owned a weapon…had no history of violence…was non-threatening…compliant…and was assessed as low risk…was nevertheless…put in harms way…while in the process of being served…a document search warrant…for gambling. Sal was unjustly…and wrongfully…shot and killed…by a FCPD SWAT officer…on January 24, 2006. Our family grieves…and misses Sal…each and every day…because of this…inexcusable and unforgivable…use of excessive force…that took him from us.
The fact is…when SWAT is used in unwarranted situations…they increase the risk…and potential for…unnecessary and fatal outcomes. The weapons and ammunition they use… are meant to be catastrophically lethal…their SWAT uniforms are designed to intimidate…coupled with tactics…that embrace the elements of Speed, Surprise and Violence of Action…which are all meant to disorient and terrorize…whomever they are confronting…in addition to policies and protocols…that have officers at ready gun… with weapons pointed…at center mass of another human being…are all opportunities…for devastating and disastrous outcomes. Additionally, the officers’ admitted mindset is…whenever they are called out…(I have heard this first hand over and over) not only do they ignore risk assessments (even those that are “low risk”) they say “I’m (the officer) going home that night.” All of these components, are primed for devastating and disastrous outcomes.
Non-threatening…persons…also have a right…to go home to their loved ones. No right thinking person…wants anyone…citizen or officer…to lose a most precious…and irreplaceable God given gift…LIFE.
Virginia residents…need to follow the lead of those in Maryland…in expressing their outrage…at what is happening for no good reasons. SWAT should only be used…for the intentions…for which it was formed…terrorist…hostage…imminent threat situations… not ordinary police work.
Law enforcement…should be serving and protecting…its residents and citizens…and we must hold them accountable…when they are using…SWAT excessive force tactics…needlessly. Maryland is a start…I pray they are successful.
http://www.justiceforsal.com
McMahan:
“The bottom line is that we had information that we believed the weapons can be in that home…”
No they didn’t. They were just blanketing the zone with rubber stamped no-knock warrants. That CANNOT be legal.
Here’s what we have: The Stepson and a buddy were ratted out by a ‘Confidential Informant’… “Oooo! When have we heard that before?” This prompted the police to obtain no-knock warrants on 3 locations:
The Stepson, as he was ratted out by said informant.
The unnamed friend… same.
The Stepfather, Mike Hasenei, whose only crime was having his address on his stepson’s ID card.
http://www.explorehoward.com/news/15341/home-raid-leads-complaint/
“Smith said he does not have a driver’s license. He said his state-issued identity card, however, lists his stepfather’s address as his home.”
No arrests were made, no stolen weapons recovered. Dog killed, teenagers terrified.
In the immortal words of Chief Wiggums: “That’s good work, boys!”
“However, the executive director of the National Tactical Officers Association says reporting requirements for SWAT teams should emanate from the law enforcement community, not legislators.
“Our data shows that when SWAT teams are deployed, the violence goes down,” said John Gnagey, who was a SWAT team member for 26 years in the Champaign, Ill., police department….”
“The violence goes down”???? For who? We could ask all the dead people if they felt the SWAT Raid was a low violence situation, but, oh, that’s right, THEY’RE DEAD!
Interesting. My teenagers hold the same position as does the NTOA regarding their curfews and drinking etc. They believe that any requirements and rules on these subjects and a few other subjects should emanate from them. Obviously, the NTOA and my teenagers think on the same level. BTW, does anyone know where I can get a fox to watch my chicken coop?
Just wanted to thank nicole and J sub D for correcting the common misconception that police officers are not civillians!
Like fire-fighters, probation/parole, correctional officers, and medics (working for public agencies), the police are public employees assigned to public safety tasks. The police have more arrest authority than the average citizen (they can enforce court orders, make traffic stops, etc.), but that SHOULD be the extent of it. Of course, the courts have expanded these powers, and the police unions, a fawning press, and security nuts have enabled these changes. All for the good of “the children,” I presume.
Anyway, thanks for pointing that out guys. That’s the kind of frank (and legally correct) talk that makes The Agitator stick out among other blogs. In fact, its one of just a few blogs I visit regularly. So LEO’s, please stop referring to us as civillians, coz as Jack Cafferty might say, “it’s getting ugly out there.”
Let’s all be glad the 12-year-old girl didn’t try to kick her shoe off.
“Our data shows that when SWAT teams are deployed, the violence goes down,” said John Gnagey, who was a SWAT team member for 26 years in the Champaign, Ill., police department….”
One should bear in mind that in police-speak, “goes down” means “happens”. So his comment was very telling.
“One should bear in mind that in police-speak, “goes down” means “happens”. So his comment was very telling.”
Yep….
And one should also know that when cops say ” the violence goes down” they mean it goes down for THEM.