Another Isolated Incident

In D.C.:

An 86-year-old D.C. man got a surprise visit earlier this month. Robert Smith heard someone banging on his apartment door on Randolph Street on the evening of March 4. But before he could unlock it, a group of D.C. Police officers battered the door down and knocked Smith onto the floor.

Smith said officers quickly realized they had the wrong apartment and called for an ambulance. Doctors treated Smith for contusions to his head and back.

"There's a half million people in this city, so why did they have to pick on me?" Smith told FOX 5.

The retired federal government worker has lived alone in the same apartment for more than 30 years and said police never offered an apology for the mistaken raid.

FOX 5 viewed the search warrant which stated police were looking for marijuana, drug paraphernalia and anything related to drug trafficking.

The Director of Communications for the Metropolitan Police Department, Gwendolyn Crump, e-mailed FOX 5 saying that "The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating this matter."

Comments

[WTF]

He's lucky he doesn't have a dog.

[Invisible Finger]

Or floppy ears.

[Almanian]

**sobbing**

NO MOOOOOOOOORE!!!! NOOOOOOOO MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE, RADLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYY!!!!!

**collapses**

[Spoof Radley]

"STOP RESISTING! STOP RESISTING!"

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Embrace the pain.

[Not Dunphy but Whatever]

First one in a long time. They really are isolated!

[Almanian]

*punches dunphy in the vagina*

[Ray]

When are the cops going to stop taking these orders? Where are the ones standing up to this kind of thing? They wonder why people are losing their trust in the police.

[WTF]

It's only a few bad apples, isolated incidents, etc. etc.

[Juice]

Brian: "You don't have to follow orders."

Centurion: "I like following orders."

[Ray]

I wonder if Balko is ever harassed by the coppers because of his reporting.

[Kristen]

The Alexandria Sheriff's Office possibly tried to harass & intimidate, IIRC, last year.

[Andrew S.]

Ow, this hurts. Forgot to put my patented anti-Balko nutkick athletic cup on this morning.

[Ska]

I don't blame you, the steel reinforcement can really put a strain on the back.

[Swampleg]

The cops were really unlucky. I think that you have to try really hard to find a house in certain DC neighborhoods that don't have some form of contraband.

And, no, this is not a comment on DC residents. It is a comment on how much the DC government tries to prod and cajole its citizens into meeting the government's definition of good and productive activity.

OK. I guess to the extent they keep electing these fools, it is a comment on DC residents.

[Tim]

Coincidentally I caught a rerun of Adam-12 last night where they conduct a drug raid. There are Reed and Malloy and a detective. Only Reed draws his REVOLVER. They knock and announce themselves, wait a second or two and kick the door.

Dumb nostalgia? No Adam 12 was made with the full cooperation of LAPD and the methods they used were state of the art for 1960's America.

Compare that with today's state of the art. What the hell happened?

[Spartacus]

There's a war on, Tim. A WAR on DRUGS. You can't have these niceties when there's a war to be fought. If we just form more SWAT teams, kick in more doors, and shoot more dogs, the drugs will eventually surrender. And if they don't, well, that just proves that we don't have enough SWAT teams.

[Tim]

Sheesh, at least Vietnam finally ended.

[Rambo]

For some of us, it didn't

[Gwendolyn Crump]

Rest assured Reasonoids, we've got top men on this investigation.

Top

Men

[Abdul]

They have to find out who to give the medals to.

[Barely Suppressed Rage]

Yeah, these guys probably will get a commendation for their quick thinking and heroic actions in calling an ambulance for the poor injured senior citizen.

It's a good thing those officers were there to save that old guy's life!

[Doktor Zombie]

Really? Police have to break the door down when looking for pot and drug paraphernalia? All they should have to do is knock and say "hey, man, I got that pizza you and Cheetoh's you ordered.."

If the door opens, you have the right house.

[Tim]

An excellent point.

[R C Dean]

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating this matter.

Well, you don't know who to promote unless you do a little digging first.

[Bill]

It's a shame the 86 year old got hurt but if they had found any marijuana at all or a pipe that looked like you could smoke weed in it then it would have been justified. I feel much safer now.

[Fred]

Did they find plastic bags, too much money or any other crime?

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating this matter.

I certainly hope they find some dirt on the guy. Some nephew or son-in-law that has a drug arrest in his past so they can justify the home invasion.

[Curious]

None of the cops was holding & they didn't have time to plant anything?

[Full Metal Trousers]

That's the real crime here: they're off their game!

[Lost_In_Translation]

What, they weren't looking for Canadian prescription drugs?

[Tim]

+1

[JD]

I'm impressed they realized their mistake quickly and called an ambulance for the guy. Seems like the usual protocol is to leave the homeowner handcuffed on the floor for six hours while they send the new guy out for some donuts search for artfully concealed contraband.

[sloopyinca]

So do you mean to tell me that Robert Smith was 52 when The Cure started touring in 82? And he was working a federal job the whole time?

The vacant expression. The gaunt, feminine features. The listless behavior. They make much more sense now.

[Kristen]

So do you mean to tell me that Robert Smith was 68 when he was drafted by the Vikings in 1993? And he was working a federal job the whole time?

[Almanian]

Sumbitch looks good for his age

[Almanian]

Oh, also:

"Not experts, thin blue line, most are good...and REALLY....it's an isolated incident."

[cynical]

I hope this shit doesn't devolve into another discussion about The Cure.

[angus]

"There's a half million people in this city, so why did they have to pick on me?"

Cause you're 89 years old and totally harmless?

[????? ??????]

Thanks