“Anyone with this mentality is a jack booted thug”
Disagree. It’s more of forgetting why Andy only let Barney have 1 bullet. The initial investigation of the very serious threats made against the police and others showed that it originated at the router located at the house. However, the investigation and planning seemed to have stopped there. It appears that no one took the time to see if the router was secure from being hacked (and the lack of a password could have been determined by a kid with a smartphone sitting in a car on the street). Further, no one apparently checked to see who lived at the house (which shows real lack of judgment — you always do a recon before an operation so you know what you’re facing, and so you can develop a plan that reduces your risks. Running in blind is a quick way to take casualties). Checking the records would have revealed that a 68 year old grandmother and her 18 year old granddaughter lived there — and that doesn’t sound like the typical terrorist threat. Keeping the place under observation for a day or so would have shown that it didn’t appear that anyone else lived there. The next step, before trying to serve the warrant, would have been to have someone go to the door and knock (sure, wear a bullet proof vest, but that’s standard for police now and generally a good idea). Ask the grandma to step outside, show her the threatening posts and ask what she knows about them (and if she gets defensive or denies knowledge, explain that since the router isn’t pass word protected, she could have been hacked — you know, the thing that identity thieves do to steel your credit card and bank info, and all those other bad things to ruin your life – if you watch TV 10 minutes a day you’ve seen the commercials). Ask for permission for your computer expert to examine computers and cell phones in the house. If she says “Yes”, you’ll get invited in. If she says “No”, then you serve the warrant — but, she’s restrained outside and you go in with a lot better knowledge and planning for what you’re facing. However, you don’t do the old neighborhood cop making a house call routine if you invite the TV crews, or if you plan to make such a ruckus that all the neighbors will come out to watch. In this case, someone had delusions of getting a guest shot on a TV cop show. And, that’s why Andy only let Barney have 1 bullet. Andy knew that although Barney might have good intentions, the road to Hell is paved with those, so he needed to limit Barney’s opportunities to hurt himself, and maybe others. The Evansville, Indiana PD appears to have forgotten that. I doubt that they are bad people — but, they look like they are foolish ones.
“It appears that no one took the time to see if the router was secure from being hacked …”
Connecting to unencrypted wifi is now a hack? So anyone who connects to an unencrypted wifi at some point can be charged with felony offenses and decades of prison time?
Go into any suburban setting, turn on a smartphone or laptop, and see how many unsecured wireless devices show up. I can’t believe that the cops even bothered to talk to any of their tech guys. All you need to know about this story is that the cops had a TV crew in tow. They had to barge in and make a big show. So some poor grandmother was scared half to death, and the house was damaged? It isn’t like the cops are going to have to pay for any of this.
EPD engaged in shock and awe with their SWAT team and TV crew in tow. A little bit more real police work could have avoided the incident entirely. They deserve to be criticized on this.
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“Speaking generally, he said that anytime special teams or SWAT personnel are needed, police have to act in a way that ensures officer safety.”
Because the safety of the public is no longer important to the police. Anyone with this mentality is a jack booted thug.
“Anyone with this mentality is a jack booted thug”
Disagree. It’s more of forgetting why Andy only let Barney have 1 bullet.
The initial investigation of the very serious threats made against the police and others showed that it originated at the router located at the house. However, the investigation and planning seemed to have stopped there.
It appears that no one took the time to see if the router was secure from being hacked (and the lack of a password could have been determined by a kid with a smartphone sitting in a car on the street). Further, no one apparently checked to see who lived at the house (which shows real lack of judgment — you always do a recon before an operation so you know what you’re facing, and so you can develop a plan that reduces your risks. Running in blind is a quick way to take casualties). Checking the records would have revealed that a 68 year old grandmother and her 18 year old granddaughter lived there — and that doesn’t sound like the typical terrorist threat. Keeping the place under observation for a day or so would have shown that it didn’t appear that anyone else lived there.
The next step, before trying to serve the warrant, would have been to have someone go to the door and knock (sure, wear a bullet proof vest, but that’s standard for police now and generally a good idea). Ask the grandma to step outside, show her the threatening posts and ask what she knows about them (and if she gets defensive or denies knowledge, explain that since the router isn’t pass word protected, she could have been hacked — you know, the thing that identity thieves do to steel your credit card and bank info, and all those other bad things to ruin your life – if you watch TV 10 minutes a day you’ve seen the commercials). Ask for permission for your computer expert to examine computers and cell phones in the house. If she says “Yes”, you’ll get invited in. If she says “No”, then you serve the warrant — but, she’s restrained outside and you go in with a lot better knowledge and planning for what you’re facing.
However, you don’t do the old neighborhood cop making a house call routine if you invite the TV crews, or if you plan to make such a ruckus that all the neighbors will come out to watch.
In this case, someone had delusions of getting a guest shot on a TV cop show.
And, that’s why Andy only let Barney have 1 bullet. Andy knew that although Barney might have good intentions, the road to Hell is paved with those, so he needed to limit Barney’s opportunities to hurt himself, and maybe others. The Evansville, Indiana PD appears to have forgotten that. I doubt that they are bad people — but, they look like they are foolish ones.
“It appears that no one took the time to see if the router was secure from being hacked …”
Connecting to unencrypted wifi is now a hack? So anyone who connects to an unencrypted wifi at some point can be charged with felony offenses and decades of prison time?
That line is getting lower and lower …
Go into any suburban setting, turn on a smartphone or laptop, and see how many unsecured wireless devices show up. I can’t believe that the cops even bothered to talk to any of their tech guys.
All you need to know about this story is that the cops had a TV crew in tow. They had to barge in and make a big show. So some poor grandmother was scared half to death, and the house was damaged? It isn’t like the cops are going to have to pay for any of this.
EPD engaged in shock and awe with their SWAT team and TV crew in tow. A little bit more real police work could have avoided the incident entirely. They deserve to be criticized on this.
This be another one for Radley Balko.
So, do we still get to see the film?
Connecting to unencrypted wifi is now a hack?
No, but it’s illegal.