WI: Police go door to door seizing firearms


iconWisconsin Gun Owners reports that police recently went door to door confiscating firearms.

Since their website has no permalinks and uses annoying frames, I've reprinted the entire article here:

OSHKOSH POLICE CONDUCT DOOR TO DOOR GUN CONFISCATIONS

Shooting of Oshkosh police officer results in knee jerk neighborhood gun grab

Oshkosh, Wis. -- Following the shooting of an Oshkosh police officer Saturday night, area residents were forced from their homes, their lawful firearms being confiscated by police.

The Oshkosh Police Department's Special Weapons and Tactics Unit responded to the area, with a K-9 police dog in pursuit of the perpetrator who was reported to have fled on foot.

Citizens' guns were seized through searches of area homes. The police promised to return the firearms after forensic tests proved they were not involved in the crime. The injured officer's name was withheld, but media reports indicate his condition is not life-threatening.

"The message is: Hand over your guns, now!" said Corey Graff, executive director of Wisconsin Gun Owners Inc. "This is a blatant case of guilty-until-proven-innocent and an abuse of police power."

Still, residents in the area are furious about the home invasions by police and what they see as theft of their property. Although early reports are unclear, they indicate a search warrant was issued for two homes, yet additional home owners also had firearms confiscated.

"We want the perpetrator of this crime caught and brought to justice just like everyone else," said Graff. "But that doesn't mean the police should trample citizens' 4th amendment protections, steal lawful private property and enter the home without reasonable suspicion or warrant."

One homeowner in the area said his guns were taken by police, guns that hadn't left his gun safe since last hunting season. Another victim of the police searches -- an elderly women -- reported waking up to officers' searching her home in the early morning hours.

The Oshkosh Northwestern reported, "Residents were not being allowed to return to their homes by press time."

This is why all police business should be conducted on the porch. If a policeman wants entry into my home, unless they have a warrant the answer is always "NO". I don't know about you, but if you hear that Ravenwood's guns have been taken, you'll know Ravenwood is dead.

- WBAY corroborates this somewhat, stating: "As the police were doing their door-to-door search on the night in question"

- The Post-Crescent states: "Officers began clearing houses shortly after. Residents in the area were being kept from returning to their homes as of late Saturday night."

- The Green Bay Gazette pretty much has the scoop, although they don't seem to be alarmed about it at all: "Special Weapons and Tactics Unit conducted a house-by-house search... ...The SWAT team completed its search by 5:30 a.m. Sunday and detectives began investigating the scene and gathering information. SWAT team members took firearms from at least two homes in the area, but without concluding they were used in the shooting."

I guess they've never heard of "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated..."


Category:  Cold Dead Hands
Comments (1)      top   link me

Comments

Only in AmeriKa.

I agree, only with a warrant, then with photographs of my property and receipts with serial numbers.

Note to all gunowners.

1: Take pictures of your guns, at least one picture clearly showing the serial number.

2: Keep ALL receipts and pictures in a separate place like a safe deposit box.

3: Check with your local bar association to get names of local attorneys who handle cases involving illegal search and seizure. Call some or all those attorneys, and discuss potential fees and availability, be polite and keep the questions short and the call brief. Select one or two that you like and keep them on your speed dial. This also should be done for other LIKELY areas in your life.

Rich

Posted by: Rich at July 29, 2004 10:29 AM

(c) Ravenwood and Associates, 1990 - 2014

About Ravenwood
Libertarianism
Libertarian Quiz
Secrets o' the Universe
Email Ravenwood

reading
<Blogroll Me>
/images/buttons/ru-button-r.gif

Bitch Girls
Bogie Blog
Countertop Chronicles
DC Thornton
Dean's World
Dumb Criminals
Dustbury
Gallery Clastic
Geek with a .45
Gut Rumbles
Hokie Pundit
Joanie
Lone Star Times
Other Side of Kim
Right Wing News
Say Uncle
Scrappleface
Silflay Hraka
Smallest Minority
The Command Post
Venomous Kate
VRWC


FemmeBloggers


archives

search the universe



rings etc

Gun Blogs


rss feeds
[All Versions]
[PDA Version]
[Non-CSS Version]
XML 0.91
RSS 1.0 (blurb)
RSS 2.0 (full feed)
 

credits
Design by:

Powered by: Movable Type 3.34
Encryption by: Deltus
Hosted by: Bluehost

Ravenwood's Universe:
Established 1990

Odometer

OdometerOdometerOdometerOdometer