Cops from the Galena, Kansas, police department; the Cherokee County sheriff’s department; the Kansas Bureau of Investigation; and the FBI converged on a Galena home looking for a gang member last week. It’s not clear from media reports why they thought he was there. They did say their heat-sensing equipment indicated he might be hiding in the attic. In any case, the cops literally dismantled the house, which belongs to a single mother with six children. After the operation concluded without finding the suspect, the sheriff issued the following statement:
“After obtaining a search warrant for the residence, tactical entry teams from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were utilized to search the property. Throughout the search, it was believed [the suspect] was held up in a small portion of the attic, which was not conducive for law enforcement to safely access …. While we were on scene for several hours, our objectives were to insure the safety of nearby citizens, officers and to safely apprehend the fugitive. With time on our side, and no need to place residents or officers at unnecessary risk, a thorough and very methodical search of the home was conducted. Although the suspect was not successfully captured, many residents I spoke with today expressed concern for the officers’ safety and were appreciative of our efforts to apprehend a dangerous fugitive while making it clear that law enforcement is serious, and willing to go to great lengths, to make sure Galena is not viewed as a safe harbor for criminals to seek refuge.”
The sheriff added the homeowner was “made aware of a program the FBI offers to help with home repair in these types of situations.” An FBI spokesperson said the FBI will pay for the damage but the homeowner has to file a claim. But the cops didn’t apologize for the intrusion, nor did they explain why they tore down the family’s Christmas tree and ripped up their presents, or why it was necessary to tear down the mailbox to search for a suspect inside the house.
So I have a suggestion for the police agencies involved in this raid — and for law enforcement agencies in general. First, if you destroy someone’s home looking for a fugitive who wasn’t there, it helps to say you’re sorry; issuing a defensive statement that only talks about officer safety makes it look like you don’t give a damn about what you did to a citizen. Second, if for some reason that I don’t presently understand you find it necessary to treat kid’s Christmas tree and presents like trash, at least go out and buy them another tree and replacement presents, instead of just telling their mom to file a claim with the government that will take months or years to process and resolve. Once again, this is so it doesn’t look like you don’t give a damn about what you did to these kids, even if you really don’t. Third, if you rip down someone’s mailbox, put it back up, so you don’t come across as vandals who have no respect for other people’s property, even if you really don’t. Fourth, take responsibility for finding shelter for this family while their home is uninhabitable, so they aren’t left stranded and homeless during the holidays at your instigation. Call it public relations, community relations, or whatever you want; all I’m saying here is that impressions matter, and you make a lousy impression when you trash someone’s home, then shrug and tell them to file a claim and walk away, leaving them to fend for themselves.
Read the story here.
