Fake LEO

Hi, team, thank you in advance for your help, please bear with me, I’m pretty new to all this and there are many things that are overwhelming (most of them unnecessarily IMHO)

Suppose a group of would-be home invaders kick down your front door at 2AM while you’re sleeping, suppose they enter while screaming “FBI, Hands up!” or whatever they scream (a.l.a Roger Stone) Suppose they take the impersonation even further and wear some sort of make-believe uniforms (remember it’s 2AM and you don’t have a lot of time to verify) OK, what am I suppose to do? I don’t have any issues with the authorities, but in modern America you know that doesn’t mean the REAL FBI won’t come kicking down your door because you’ve posted something on Social Media, or some friend of yours did… Am I supposed to let any “authority” enter my home without resisting? If my position is defending myself when ANYBODY kicks down my door, what about the real LE kicking down my door? I will definitely lose the fight with them on every front… Please, advise.

Thank you very much for your time :slight_smile:

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Fortunately this is a very unlikely scenario for any of us to face. But it does show the dangers that no knock warrants create for citizens and LEOs. In my opinion no knock warrants should be banned except in cases with clear evidence of imminent terrorist attacks or similar.

As a law abiding citizen I would likely assume that an armed gang bursting through my door are criminals intent on harming me and my family. I am very likely to try and defend my family regardless of what they are shouting or wearing.

If they are LEOs and smart enough to knock on my door, show me a warrant and wait long enough for me to call 911 and confirm their identity then we can let the lawyers do the fighting and no one’s lives have to be put in danger.

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That’s true, but unfortunately, that’s not what we’re seeing lately… Let’s just hope we don’t have to cope with it…

Thanks!!

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This scenario is circulating since the times of the Brothers Grimm. Usually, home invaders’ disguise won’t pass muster, and having a doorbell camera or something like it is very helpful here. I would not worry about being swatted by malicious neighbor, any more than about space junk falling on your roof. Too unlikely.

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That is an interesting scenario. If memory serves that has happened here in SLC but on a smaller scale, more like the fake cops pulling people over. I guess, in the end, offering up a firearm and having a shoot out, be it police or be it scum, the results would probably be the same. Where if one was to comply they may get arrested or robbed and live to fight another day. All of that said, I think most people know or at least have a suspicion of if the police are coming over to talk to them so I imagine you would probably know if it was fake or not.

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States have passed laws to allow citizens the ability to protect themselves. When you have “Castle Doctrine”, “Stand Your Ground”, “Constitutional Carry”, etc. and you still allow no knock warrants, that’s lunacy. This trial and error form of policing makes the headlines when someone is injured, but there are less notable instances that never get reported and people are left to deal with the damages.
If there is clearly overwhelming evidence that the police need to invade a residence, it should be done in such a manner that the occupants know it’s the police entering and compliance is expected.

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Set yourself up to be able to tell the difference. If you get it wrong, you lose.

Reinforce your doors. Have cameras you can check quickly. Have a phone you can dial 911 from readily at hand at all times.

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As unlikely as the scenario might be, it is going to be a judgement call on the homeowners part.

New Restrictions for Illinois No-Knock Warrants

While no-knock warrants are still permitted in Illinois, new laws and policies have recently been established to ensure that they are carried out responsibly. Most notably, the recently passed Illinois House Bill 3653 introduced widespread criminal justice reform, including the following requirements for no-knock warrants that will take effect on July 1, 2021:

  • All officers involved in the execution of a no-knock warrant must be appropriately equipped with body cameras, or the search must be recorded using some other means.
  • Officers must take reasonable steps to ensure that the correct property is being searched, and that children and vulnerable people who may be on the property are considered in the execution of the warrant. If a no-knock warrant is executed at the wrong location, any officer who learns of this mistake must report it to a supervisor to initiate an internal investigation.

The Chicago Police Department has instituted additional policies, including requiring the presence of at least one female officer and a supervising lieutenant for the execution of all no-knock warrants.

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