There is no doubt that the world has been living in a high-stress environment for more than two years now and it is taking a toll on every level of society. From global shutdowns due to Covid-19 to police misconduct to the now widespread concern over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it seems like there is no end. Perhaps some of these global events have heightened our sense of the inequities in life, but the cry for police reform is anything but new.
In fact, as recently as January 5, 2022, Pew Research posted a video on America’s growing mistrust of police. They discuss how recent events have led to a greater distrust of law enforcement in our nation as allegations of police brutality and unlawful force continue to dominate the news.
No Knock Warrants Under the Microscope
There are growing numbers of people who are beginning to question no knock warrants. This means that under certain predefined conditions, police have the ability to search a home, a place of business or really anywhere without the need to announce their presence prior to gaining entry. These warrants are signed by a judge in situations where there are high levels of risk. Unfortunately, altogether too many times there was no danger, no risk, and sometimes police have broken into a home under such a warrant only to find they were in the wrong home or building or targeting uninvolved individuals.
Case in Point
One of the most recent cases alleging police misconduct in serving such a warrant would be that served in February 2022 and resulting in the death of Amir Locke in Minneapolis, MN. The family is filing a lawsuit and is being co-represented by no knock warrant lawyer Romanucci Blandin in Chicago. Upon review of the warrant it was established that Amir Locke was not named and his death by a member of Minneapolis’ Police SWAT raised a public outcry.
Furthermore, the officer in question, Mark Hanneman, had been under internal investigation several times in the past with no disciplinary action resulting from any of those inquiries. This alone is one of the main reasons why the nation is seeking police reform – an overstepping of boundaries with no consequences. A no knock warrant lawyer sees many of the lawsuits like that mentioned above in the course of a year.
Public Distrust Continues to Grow
In 2020 the George Floyd incident, in the very same city as that of Amir Locke, made national news and at trial, the officer who shot and killed Floyd was found guilty. Even though allegations of police misconduct continue to grow, little reform is making headway. Along with the issues arising from no knock warrants, racial profiling is giving rise to growing distrust in law enforcement across the board. While several possible solutions have been presented, reform is yet to happen. Because change is slow to happen, more and more people are voicing their opinions on the need for reform and most Americans believe that reform is long overdue.
