"Once again, the larger point here is that these raids are too violent and dangerous, the margin of error to small, and the tips and investigations that lead to them too subject to mistakes and bad information for them to be used on nonviolent drug offenders."
- Radley Balko
The same logic holds for limiting the use of SWAT Teams. No one wants an officer to be harmed. But, bringing violence to a persons home too often ends in tragedy.
Some of my suggestions:
- Any use of SWAT would require a published notification to the States AG / Gov within 24 hours stating the probable cause and the discovered evidence
- Publishing statistics of use on a State basis, with
- Federal publishing of use / results
- Review/Debate of such use by each States House and by the House on an annual basis, with
- Published transcripts, results, findings, legislative changes etc
- Considered removing the protections from wrong doing currently given to judges, prosecutors and law enforcement when things go badly in such raids. That is, not just civil remedies, but loss of careers and trial to face jail time.
