O O P S ! ! !

[Rastus]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-mayor0807,0,4563211.story

Berwyn Heights mayor asks for investigation into raid
By Doug Donovan | Sun reporter
4:44 PM EDT, August 7, 2008
 
Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo (right) and his wife Trinity Tomsic talk during a news conference outside their Prince George's County home, which was raided last week. (Sun photo by Lloyd Fox / August 7, 2008)


Berwyn Heights' mayor today asked federal officials to investigate possible civil rights violations stemming from last week's raid of his Prince George's County home by police officers who shot and killed his two dogs, his attorney said.

Mayor Cheye Calvo and his wife, Trinity Tomsic, asked for a U.S. Department of Justice inquiry during a 2 p.m. news conference today outside their Berwyn Heights home, said Timothy Maloney, their attorney.

"We have asked the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice to investigate not only what happened to us, but also the larger question of policies and practices of county law enforcement agencies in executing warrants," Calvo said.

"We have witnessed a frightening law enforcement culture in which the law is disregarded, the rights of innocent occupants are ignored, and the rights of innocent animals mean nothing."



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In this undated photo provided by Cheye Calvo, he and his wife, Trinity Tomsic, walk their Labradors
Today's Sun photos Photos Calvo's home was raided by the county Sheriff's Office SWAT team and narcotics officers after a package of marijuana addressed to the house was seized. Police obtained a search warrant and officers broke down their door and shot and killed the family's two black Labrador retrievers, Payton and Chase.

But arrests this week of two men involved in a marijuana smuggling ring that allegedly delivers packages of the drug to unsuspecting homes appears to indicate that Calvo was not involved in any illegal activity.

Berwyn Heights' police chief, Patrick A. Murphy, said his agency was not alerted about the raid by county police and that those agencies need to state clearly that Calvo had no involvement with the marijuana ring.

"I see no connection between the mayor and his family and the persons who have been arrested in this case," Murphy said. "To keep it vague at this point is a serious disservice to this very decent, very honorable man. I think this continues to be an embarrassment."

During the raid last Tuesday, Calvo's mother-in-law was handcuffed and laid on the kitchen floor next to the body of 7-year-old Payton, said Maloney. At the same time, the mayor -- wearing only his underwear and socks -- was forced to walk backward down his stairs, hands in the air, before being handcuffed and laid on his living room floor, he said.

"After about an hour, it dawned on the police that these are not drug dealers," Maloney said.

He said the mayor never heard the police announce themselves before they stormed in. The mayor assumed his house was being invaded by armed robbers, Maloney said.

Maloney said the Prince George's County sheriff and the county's chief of police have not apologized for the conduct of their officers.

Neither could be reached for comment today.

Murphy said that if his police department was made aware of the search warrant he could have gotten the mayor to secure the dogs and to allow for the peaceful entry of police.

"There's no reason for it," Murphy said. "I'm gravely concerned about this incident eroding the public's trust in their law enforcement officials."

[Hazcat]

OH!  Because it happened to a politico it's bad but when it happens (everyday) to Joe citizen it's OK.

No knock warrants MUST be stopped. 

[DDMac]

No matter what, the dogs are gone. Damn. 
Mac

[saltydogbk]

After reading MB blog about the guy with a FIFTY GUN stash, I have to wonder, are the cops really on our side?

[Rastus]

After reading MB blog about the guy with a FIFTY GUN stash, I have to wonder, are the cops really on our side?

Just like any other people....some are...some aren't. 

[Sponsor]

[Rob10ring]

After reading MB blog about the guy with a FIFTY GUN stash, I have to wonder, are the cops really on our side?

How do we get this guy exonerated? Was his sawed off shotgun REALLY a "sawed-off" shotgun, or was it within legal limits and why do we allow an "infringement" that tells us what size defensive weapon we can have anyway? What laws were really broken? AArrgh!

That reporter that was so shocked would just love all of us!

[Pathfinder]

Just like any other people....some are...some aren't. 

Hate to correct you Rastus, but some are, most aren't. The LEO culture is anti-civilian from the get go. Self contained, very much an us and them mindset. Part of the militarization of the LEOs, military equipment, military training, we are not the objects of protect and serve, we are the "enemy" until proven otherwise.

I remember a video from about 8 years ago, some old overweight guy in his shorts and nothing else, waving around a .410 single shot shotgun, and not menacingly, holding it around the receiver as I recall. walked across his yard, got to the corner of his house, was startled by the conga line of death LEOs lined up there, the lead one of which mowed the guy down with a burst of MP5. "Sheriff" John Bunnel actually used this video to show how good the cops are.

Like Waco, like Ruby Ridge, like this incident, like NO, like the incident in MN where the cops got freaking medals for hitting the wrong house, like...like..like.. the cops walk away scot free. No repercussions. Why in the hell should they change anything. And who is going to make them?

[twyacht]

I have exp. with Marine Patrol, Coast Guard, Wildlife Officers, LEO on Boats, fire boats. and came about this close "" to taking the BLET and going into Law Enforcement. For the most part, they are "good people", doing a thankless underpayed, life threatening job.

I install marine electronics, off all kinds, and am required to "sea-trial"  and commission every install. They pilot, I push buttons.

Are there the egotistical, arrogant, militant, belittling, idiot's that can't even spell GPS? Yes! Had a Marine Patrol Officer tell me he pulls boats over when he see a good looking girl or 2 on board. Just to check "em out. Very unprofessional.

Just like every other profession, the good, bad, and ugly applies.

Sorry about the dogs."Murphy said that if his police department was made aware of the search warrant he could have gotten the mayor to secure the dogs and to allow for the peaceful entry of police."

First part of that statement doesn't even ,make sense.

"There's no reason for it," Murphy said. "I'm gravely concerned about this incident eroding the public's trust in their law enforcement officials."

"So law-abiding citizens are left at a disadvantage - caught between a criminal class that disdains the law and a ruling class that disdains the Constitution."
Joe Sobran

Whose caught in the middle?

[Rastus]

Hate to correct you Rastus, but some are, most aren't. The LEO culture is anti-civilian from the get go. Self contained, very much an us and them mindset. Part of the militarization of the LEOs, military equipment, military training, we are not the objects of protect and serve, we are the "enemy" until proven otherwise.

I remember a video from about 8 years ago, some old overweight guy in his shorts and nothing else, waving around a .410 single shot shotgun, and not menacingly, holding it around the receiver as I recall. walked across his yard, got to the corner of his house, was startled by the conga line of death LEOs lined up there, the lead one of which mowed the guy down with a burst of MP5. "Sheriff" John Bunnel actually used this video to show how good the cops are.

Like Waco, like Ruby Ridge, like this incident, like NO, like the incident in MN where the cops got freaking medals for hitting the wrong house, like...like..like.. the cops walk away scot free. No repercussions. Why in the hell should they change anything. And who is going to make them?

Can't argue with that.  All valid incidents and I know of other "unknown skirmishes" that will never hit the news.  Bet ya'll do too.

Twyacht, good way to point out who is in the middle.  I have a lot of trust in my friends who are officers, but they nor I trust all of their compadres.  In fact a friend was a Tangipahoa Sherriff's Deputy 20+ years ago told me to never let an officer enter my house after a burglary unattended or I had a 50-50 chance of losing more personal items.  He knew of officers who had "picked up things" and justified in that insurance was going to pay it anyway.  When I grilled him about turning them in his response was, "You've got to be kidding, next domestic disturbance call I'm on and they'll find me dead in the yard with a throwdown next to me and never find the shooter."  That has stuck with me over the years and been echoed by others.....

[DesertMarine]

"Sheriff" John Bunnel is a classic example of the them vs us mentality.  He is a poor excuse and representative for LEO.