THREAD: A SWAT team decimated this innocent woman's home while chasing a fugitive. The city says it's not their problem—and has refused to pay for any damages.
Let's talk about police accountability.
My latest @reason:
reason.com/2021/03/05/swa…
Let's talk about police accountability.
My latest @reason:
reason.com/2021/03/05/swa…
The story: A man barricaded himself inside the home of 76-year-old Vicki Baker, whose daughter gave police the keys & a garage door opener.
Instead, agents used explosives to blow off the garage entry, and drove right on through the front door in an armored vehicle.
Instead, agents used explosives to blow off the garage entry, and drove right on through the front door in an armored vehicle.
The city quickly told her that they don't owe her anything under the 5th Amendment & that she's not a victim.
"I've lost everything," she told me. She is battling cancer & was looking forward to retirement. So much for that.
"I've lost everything," she told me. She is battling cancer & was looking forward to retirement. So much for that.
This story is a microcosm for the debate around police reform.
There's the SWAT response itself, which was more suited to a battlefield. There's the obvious constitutional violation. And yet again, there is no accountability.
There's the SWAT response itself, which was more suited to a battlefield. There's the obvious constitutional violation. And yet again, there is no accountability.
This isn't the first time this has happened, & it likely won't be the last. In 2015, a SWAT team totaled an innocent family's $580k home in Colorado while chasing a shoplifting suspect.
The city gave them $5,000. SCOTUS declined to hear the case.
reason.com/2020/06/29/swa…
The city gave them $5,000. SCOTUS declined to hear the case.
reason.com/2020/06/29/swa…
This isn't even a commentary on police brutality.
Good: Police keeping the public safe
Bad: Police expecting the public to just shut up & take it when their tactics leave the little guy thousands of dollars in debt.
Good: Police keeping the public safe
Bad: Police expecting the public to just shut up & take it when their tactics leave the little guy thousands of dollars in debt.
Baker is suing.
She says she'd primarily like to see courts state the obvious: that the gov't shouldn't be able to blow up your house & cite "police power" to get off the hook.
Dare to dream.
She says she'd primarily like to see courts state the obvious: that the gov't shouldn't be able to blow up your house & cite "police power" to get off the hook.
Dare to dream.
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