What to Do If the Police Ransacked Your Home
Everyone knows what a police raid is, but until recently, most of us probably thought raids were something the rich and powerful didn’t have to worry about. But, as we have learned, even former presidents can witness law enforcement raids on their private homes.
Most of us have wondered what to do when a police officer asks to search your car , because we have all stopped before and know how fraught the situation can be. You may also have been thinking about what to do if the police show up with a warrant and ask you to search your house because we saw it on TV.
But the raid is a bit different, especially since it’s all about surprise. The police show up unannounced and use this surprise to ensure you don’t have time to discard the evidence, escape through the back door, or take other action. By its very nature, a police raid is a hectic, chaotic event, especially if it’s a “hitless” raid like the one that killed Breonna Taylor . So, the best time to think about how you will handle a police raid on your home is now before you have to react to an incredibly stressful situation.
Ask to see the warrant
If the cops are in your house, they are in your house, you can’t change that. But you can ask to see a warrant allowing them to be there. This may give you an idea of why the police are in your house, but keep two things in mind:
- The police don’t necessarily need a warrant – there are certain circumstances that allow them to search your home without one. If they don’t have a warrant, just note the fact.
- Never agree to a search. In fact, it’s better not to agree to anything and to refuse consent if asked to do so. Again, the police are already there and believe the raid is justified, but they’re trying to get an agreement on the record to bolster a weaker case.
Do not say anything
As long as you don’t agree to anything, you should also be busy with silence. You don’t have to answer questions or help in any way. You should contact your lawyer if you have one (and get one if you don’t), but otherwise don’t say anything. Anything you say while the police are in your house can be used against you in some way later.
The police are also good at drafting questions that cannot be answered correctly. When an officer stops you while driving and asks if you know how fast you are going, answering “no” removes the protection, you may have to fight for speeding, and saying “yes” may, for example, confess to a crime . Questions like these can be used to get your consent or confession, so it’s best not to answer any questions at all until you’ve been defended by a lawyer.
Data Capture
You are allowed to observe and record the search of your property. Some cops may not like it and threaten to take your camera or phone away from you, but you have every right to film it. This makes it easy to gather as much information as possible, including the names and badge numbers of the officers involved, their behavior on your property, and the things they take.
Don’t interfere
Whether there is a warrant or not, the best thing to do during a search of your home is to let it happen. Do not obstruct, interfere, or harass officers by calling them names. Again – and I cannot stress this enough – as soon as armed, angry men in uniform are in your house, they are in your house, and at the moment they are at the helm. Don’t try to stop them from taking anything out of the premises, no matter how important it is to you – all you have to do is arrest you.
If any damage was done to your property as a result of the raid, document it carefully. Make a list of everything that was seized by the police, as well as all the names and badge numbers that you were able to write down. Do it right while everything is fresh in your mind, and then contact a lawyer if you haven’t already.
Police raids are a tactic designed to take you by surprise and there isn’t much to do at the moment. However, after their completion, work begins to defend themselves against any charges and return any confiscated property. After the raid, you can also refer to any violation of rights or inappropriate behavior by the police. In short, if the raid was illegal or improperly conducted, the time to throw these accusations around is after the police have left your property. Whether you then post a rambling statement about the raid on social media is entirely up to you.