Comments on: Atlanta Eagle raid reponse: I’m calling bullshit

By: FORMER COP

FORMER COP — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:48:55 +0000

For a police officer to detain you he must have “reasonable suspicion” that 1. A crime has, is, or will be committed. And 2. That you are involved or was involved.
With that said the random checking of every person for warrants was not justified. Just being in a bar drinking a beer does not make you guilty of any thing to do with the businesses license.

The only person to the best of my law enforcement knowledge that can ask for your drivers license with out any reason other than to see it is a state trooper. And the reason for this is that the drivers license is not yours. It is the property of the state and only a state trooper is allowed to demand your drivers license with out cause. And that’s usually only during DUI, Drivers License, Insurance, seat belt check points.

By: Rightwing Bugboy

Rightwing Bugboy — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:18:24 +0000

If you see that printed anywhere please post the cite on the background checks. I’m always interested in knowing about things like this.

I seem to recall that cops do not have to have any cause to see your ID, and that if you refuse or don’t have it they can run you in. Is this correct?

By: duane

duane — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:46:13 +0000

Bugboy, just as Christopher said, there was no probable cause to run the background checks. Once the search determined that there were no drugs present (one of the two reasons for the raid), probable cause went out the window, and it became a violation of their rights.

By: Christopher Waldrop

Christopher Waldrop — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:42:11 +0000

The background checks were illegal because the police have to have probable cause to take someone’s ID and run a background check on you. If a cop grabs you on the street and asks to see your ID you’d be stupid to refuse, but, legally, the cop needs to have some reason–and it should be better than “I don’t like the way you’re walking”.

The Eagle Bar may not be perfect, but I’ve been in plenty of less-than-stellar bars. And I’m sure I’ve been in some nice bars where some illicit things were going on. That doesn’t mean the places needed to be raided.

And I realize Danni Lynn Harris, the department’s liaison with the gay and lesbian community, has got to support the department to keep her job and therefore has to stick to the approved script, BS though it may be, but since she’s been left out enough that I wonder if she’s going to start wondering if she’s anything more than window dressing. I wonder that myself. If they’re going to keep her out of the actual goings-on and make her lie to the public they might as well not have a liaison.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:59:14 +0000

APD needs re-organization, diversity training and a refresher on the constitution. Commando raids are a waste of taxpayer money. Atlantan’s end up spending more on legal payouts for faulty policy and renegade cops.

Good story from WABE on this whole situation:

“Does APD Policy Violate Atlantans’ First Amendment Rights?”

Jim Burress (2009-09-15)

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wabe/news.newsmain/article/0/13/1554727/Top.Stories/Does.APD.Policy.Violate.Atlantans

By: Rightwing Bugboy

Rightwing Bugboy — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:08:50 +0000

Danni has been “left out” before. Which pisses me off. How many times does THIS happen as an accident?

That being said, AE is pretty hard core. Not that the patrons there deserved that treatment. But still, it’s raunchy.

Why were the background checks illegal?

By: John

John — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:12:12 +0000

The Eagle is NOT a perfect establishment, and there may have been initial justification going in, but once the initial reasons for the raid didn’t materialize, it became a witch hunt. No excuse whatsoever.

By: mingaling

mingaling — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:45:40 +0000

He is such a dipshit. Is there a countdown clock somewhere that lets us know when he will go the fuck away?