Last Thursday night, Salt Lake City police served a no knock warrant on the wrong home. They broke down the door and went in with guns blazing only to find a sweet old woman home all alone. You can imagine the shock the old lady experienced as swat police raided her home looking for a drug dealer. In the past year we have seen many incidents like this occurring all over the state. Local police are getting no knock warrants for suspected drug houses when there is no real threat of harm. Traditional search warrants require law enforcement to knock and announce their presence. Had a traditional warrant been issued in this case, the old lady would have answered the door and the police would have realized they had the wrong house. There would have been no need to break down the door going in a flash as the officers did in this case. The question becomes whether or not law enforcement should be serving these types of warrants at all in drug cases except in extreme circumstances.
Salt Lake City Police Chief Apologizes
Police Chief Chris Burbank on Friday issued an apology to the old lady victim and the community in general as he admitted fault on the part of the police involved. View the video posted on ksl below:
Police Mistakes in Utah
The police make mistakes in Utah more than some may believe. When the police violate your right to privacy or any other constitutionally protected right, you deserve your proper recourse. If you have been charged with a drug crime and the police have trampled on your rights in the process of the investigation and arrest, you should seek our help right away. A Salt Lake City Criminal Defense Attorney in our office can defend you in any criminal matter or represent you through a civil rights action when the police have harmed with no cause. Contact our office as soon as possible for more information.
