WTF? How Is This Legal?
 

So a cop was pounding on my neighbor's door. They wouldn't open up. The cop sees their keys are locked in their car. So the cop slim jim's the car, gets the keys, and uses them to get into the house.

Does that sound wrong to anyone else?

depends on if they had a warrant

Not legal unless he has a warrant to do so, I wouldn't think :2 cents:

Yeah, but would you expect different from a cop ?

Not really. I've just never seen anything like that happen before.

If they had a warrant they could just take the door down. I don't see why they would go through the trouble getting the keys unless he didnt have the proper tools with him (battering ram etc.).

That goes against the 4th ammendment, twice. He obviously didn't have a warrant, because there was only himself and not a dozen of his friends with all the stuff to get in. In closing, yes, that was VERY illegal. If you have video footage of that, then you can bust that cop with internal affairs. He might just lose his badge over that, if you're lucky.

This just got somebody some money as this abused the civil liberties to the point where a lawsuit would be waranted...

Not right at all. If they had a valid warrant they would have put a ram through your door. What were they doing there?

Well apperantly this was all because the car was left running and unattended for twenty minutes.

I wasn't aware that there was a problem with that...

god damn cops :321GFY

Yes, that is illegal in most places that I know of. BUT he's not allowed to enter without a warrant, and even then a warrant is *supposed* to be served when the person is likely to be home.

his excuse will be he feared for the person inside's safety :1orglaugh

Why wouldn't they open? Maybe that's why they got the keys.
I pick this to be the fake story.

It doesn't matter if the car's been running for an hour, the cop has no authority to enter that vehicle without a warrant or probable cause of a crime. He had neither.

It depends on what the situation is. If the person was reported missing then yea I think they can do that, however I think they should have that knows the person with them.

However if they are trying the arrest the guy, then no I don't think that is legal at all.

I dream of Jeini, but she said to go away, you can't even spell my name write.

so did you record this or not? If you did post the video. :Graucho

I hate cops, but who leaves their keys in their car?

maybe you should have paid more attention to the patriot act.:2 cents:

Too many variables to just say a cop can't do this or that.

If 911 was called or they felt someone was in danger or hurt then there might be procedures in place to enter the premises.

Now if they found something illegal going on while this happened...then all issues for a court to decide...forbidden fruit issues woudl be brought up.

---not true: probale cause or concern for safety:

if the cop banged on the door of the house (knowing car & house same owner) and no one answered, well maybe the person had a heart attack, been abducted and pulled into the house by ex-boyfriend / rapist / theif (etc)----it was his duty to make sure everyone was safe...

NOW what is NOT legal (or at least easy to get out of if you're smart and keep your mouth shut) is the admission of any evidence of a crime he finds going into the house (unless he can prove reasonable probable cause)

The cop will bust you and try to make you admit to "X" because he can't successfully prosecute illeaglly gathered evidence...but if you admit it in questioning-----that's a different story..

Having worked in the Law Enforcement Field for quite a few years myself you would be surprised at what Police Officers can do. While it is true that most cases a warrant will be requested and issued by a judge for entry, BUT they don't always need one. If they have Probable Cause they can enter without a warrant, for instance, Residents are either wanted felons or harboring a felon, or if a Crime is about to or in the process of being committed. Even a Check Welfare Call can be means to warrantless entry if the circumstance are right. There are more of course but those are the common ones. What people get confused about is entry into the premises versus search of the premises which are two separate issues all together.

Now that makes sense! :) Thanks for the clarification!