Sheriffs Out Of Control | Shoot First Make Excuses Later

Here are some headlines to get your juices flowing on this fine Sunday morning:

Attorney: SWAT raid found guns, body armor

Tucson SWAT team defends shooting Iraqi vet 60 times

Ind. Sheriff: If we need to conduct RANDOM HOUSE TO HOUSE searches, we will

The first two articles are regarding an early morning SWAT raid on a home of a suspected  drug dealer in Arizona. The homeowner, a two time Iraqi war veteran, was sleeping when he was alerted by his wife to an armed person outside her window. The neighborhood they lived in had recently been victim to a deadly home invasion, so he rightfully grabbed his gun and went to confront the intruder.

When the SWAT team spotted the man, standing in his own home with a gun, they opened fire. In the ensuing seven seconds, the SWAT team unleashed 71 bullets on the man, hitting him with 60. The man never fired a shot--his gun's safety was still on.

As he lay dying, his wife screaming for help, the SWAT team prevented emergency personnel from assisting him for one hour and 14 minutes--at which time he'd expired from his wounds.

The warrant issued to the Pima Sheriff was for a supposed cache of drugs inside the home. None were found. The sheriff is trying to criminalize their victim, saying he had guns and body armor in his home. Those items are as lawful to own as a 52 inch plasma television. Ad hominem attacks on a murder victim's character by a sheriff's office are unacceptable and inappropriate.

The Pima County Sheriff's department is scolding the media for painting them in a bad light. Pima County Sheriff Clarence W. Dupnik should be held liable for first degree murder, and put behind bars, where he belongs. The Pima County SWAT team should be disbanded, and all officers immediately issued Nerf guns--a weapon more befitting men of their stature.

The third article relates to a recent Indiana Supreme Court ruling allowing for random, warrantless searches of Indiana residences:

"According to Newton County Sheriff, Don Hartman Sr., random house to house searches are now possible and could be helpful following the Barnes v. STATE of INDIANA Supreme Court ruling issued on May 12^th, 2011. When asked three separate times due to the astounding callousness as it relates to trampling the inherent natural rights of Americans, he emphatically indicated that he would use random house to house checks, adding he felt people will welcome random searches if it means capturing a criminal."

Sheriff Hartman is a discrace to his office and our national values.

Update: Sheriff Hartman recants his original statement; supposedly takes his oath seriously:

"On May 16, 2011, I was contacted by a reporter of an internet radio station.  Her question 

concerned a recent Indiana Supreme Court decision, allowing police officers to make random 

warrantless searches.  I advised her that I was not clear on that particular ruling; she 

then asked how the Sheriff’s Office conducted searches of residences.  I informed her that 

searches were only conducted with a warrant, probable cause or when an officer is in hot 

pursuit.  When questioned about the Supreme Court ruling, I advised her that as police 

officers, we enforce those laws set forth by our legislative branch.  This reporter then 

asked about the violation of Constitutional Rights.  This State Supreme Court ruling in my 

opinion cannot override our U.S. Constitutional Rights and I’m sure this state ruling will 

be revisited.  

When I was asked about my thoughts on random searches and how people would react, I gave 

her the scenario of looking for a criminal or escapee.  I advised her that if people were aware 

of this situation, they would gladly let you search a detached garage, outbuilding, etc., if 

it meant keeping them safe, but this would only be after securing permission."

Sheriffs across the country are acting as judge, jury and executioner as they kick the doors down on people's homes(many times, the wrong doors). Shoot first, make excuses later is their mantra. It's time to make them accountable for their blatantly illegal actions.

I plan to ask for Sheriff Rod Johnson's personal opinion on these matters. We in Grand County deserve to know if our Sheriff believes in the tenants of the Fourth Amendment, or if he sees it as a meaningless statement on a meaningless piece of paper. Obviously some of his elected colleagues across the country seem to think so.