No-knock raids gained mainstream media attention in 2014 after Georgia law enforcement nearly killed a toddler during a fruitless search for illegal drugs. The horrific images of Baby “Bou Bou” Phonesavanh’s third-degree facial burns, which happened when a SWAT Team exploded a flash grenade in his crib, were so brutal that the one GA lawmaker wants to pass legislation to ensure something this monstrous never happens again.
Last week, Senator Vincent Fort introduced a bill in the state legislature entitled “Bou Bou’s Law,” which, if passed, would restrict the use of no-knock search warrants across the state. Not only are police guilty of unnecessary violence during their wild-eyed drug war missions, but Senator Fort says he has proof that the officers involved in the incident that nearly killed Baby Bou provided false information in order to obtain a warrant.
“We know that there’s evidence someone lied, one officer lied to the magistrate in offering information for the no knock warrant,” said Fort.
The bill, which reportedly has received bipartisan support, would outlaw the use of no-knock search warrants between the hours of 10pm and 6am. However, while the measure does not serve to eliminate the use of these violent tactics altogether, law enforcement officials do not support the compromise. In fact, Carrie Mills, union spokesperson for the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, claims the bill would allow drug dealers the opportunity to get rid of evidence before officers were allowed entry into their home. “If we knock and announce, all evidence is going to be destroyed,” she said.
The misguided law enforcement representative then went on to caution lawmakers of their intentions; stating that it is essential to violate privacy rights in order to maintain a certain level of security. “You have to draw the line between your right as a citizen to privacy and a community’s right to live in a crime-free environment. You can’t have them both,” said Mills.
Unfortunately for the law enforcement community, not too many Americans are willing to sacrifice their basic human rights just to make it easier for cops to bust drug offenders. The concept of banning no-knock raids during certain hours of the evening is not unreasonable, especially considering the countless bugled busts that have taken place throughout the years, resulting in the injury and death of innocent citizens.
