Cops of the board: How do you feel about no-knock warrants?

[YALE]

I don't want this to be an FTP thread, and it's not an ambush by any means. I just want to get a sense of how y'all view them from your end.

[JP135]

I look at it the way I believe is constitutionally correct: Search warrants are announced prior to making entry unless there is a valid exception, such as concerns of evidence destruction or danger to a person. The threat needs to be specific and well articulated, not just 'we think the guy might flush the drugs' or 'maybe he's armed'.

[Whiteboy]

Not a good idea to no knock. Most of the ones i hear about are simple get them once they leave the house.

[slow99]

All this time, I had no idea that whiteboy was a cop.


*edited

[kingjason]

Never been a fan.

[jyro]

undercover

All this time, I had no idea that whiteboy was a cop.


*edited

He's just here for the street racers

[John -- '02 HAWK]

not a cop
I dont think it should be used all the time but is has a place in the police's tool set when dealing with a situation that could cause harm to other persons, when dealing with a violent habitual offender, or with somebody who associates with violence prone associations .

although I'm sure there are hundreds of no knock warrants served where nothing goes wrong and we only hear about the botched ones. I'm also not sure what the difference between 1 knock and battering ram is versus just hitting the door with a battering ram

[jewozzy]

I serve warrants on a daily basis. 99% are knock and announce but no-knock warrants have their place.

[KBScobravert]

I serve warrants on a daily basis. 99% are knock and announce but no-knock warrants have their place.

Because these people don't leave their house?

[dee]

Because these people don't leave their house?

I'm not a cop but in some instances they don't leave. I work with the local pd a lot and have had this discussion a few times. They typically use them on violent people or a high risk gang injunction raid. I personally feel like that should be the only acceptable time to use them but I'm sure they do more than is known.

[YALE]

So does a judge sign off on it being no-knock, or is it left to the discretion of the department serving the warrant?

[dcs13]

So does a judge sign off on it being no-knock, or is it left to the discretion of the department serving the warrant?

Must cite reasons for no knock in the affidavit for the warrant and judge must approve...So a Judge is authorizing the no knock entry.

[YALE]

Must cite reasons for no knock in the affidavit for the warrant and judge must approve...So a Judge is authorizing the no knock entry.

Ah. Thanks.

[TRAILBLAZER]

Knock hell , kick the door in you dirty rotten criminals !

[jewozzy]

Because these people don't leave their house?

I would say I do barricaded persons (ones that don't want to go) about once to twice a month. Those are always knock and announce. The no knocks we do are generally with search warrants (different than felony warrants) where there are known weapons involved and Intel stating the person is going to try to shoot it out. The theory is you get them distracted and in cuffs before they have a chance to get armed. On average as a shift we arrest about 130-160 a month. There's two shifts. And you can figure we arrest about 1 of every 3 we go after. These are felony warrants and we don't just go kicking doors in unless we have proper PC.