Search Warrant

[Beswad]

Not long ago my sister had a dawn raid to her home by the police with a Search Warrant, thinking she was dealing in drugs. As a result she was left feeling angry and upset and her two kids were traumatised by the whole experience.

What action can you take against the police if they got their information wrong?

[woofgang]

She could write to her local MP and to the police complaints commission expressing her feelings on the matter and should require  an apology for distress caused but not expect any admission of wrong doing. IMHO and experience, the police are NEVER wrong even when they demonstrably are. Am I cynical and disillusioned? oh yes and yes I know there are loads of dedicated honest policemen out there who want to do a good job but again IMHO the system is against them.

[slimfandango]

I felt similarly when stopped and tested for drink driving just outside my house in front of my neighbours...and I was clean. I felt much better about it when I realised that if the coppers err on the side slightly of suspicion (I'm all for civil rights but lots of these are blurry judgement calls) then we benefit in the long run. The police are very overstretched, and my point by this is that they seldom put their resources (esp. a dawn raid) into areas where they don't think there is a good chance of catching a criminal. Also, despite the odd badguy/idiot, my experience is that police are overwhelmingly full of decent people who would very much try to avoid either causing distress where undeserved or tarnishing people's opinion of the police. OBVIOUSLY THEY MADE A BIG MISTAKE IN YOUR CASE! But in erring slightly on the side of lack of caution, they will make things harder for the criminal scum who could reck your kids lives.

If the info they hold on you is no longer part of an investigation or would not compromise their services to reveal it, you can get hold of the info they used before storming your house by writing to them 'Dear Sir, Re: Data protection Act: please send me all of the info you hold on me to which the above act refers.' They then have to cough up most or all of it. Take it to a solicitor. If it looks like eg a disgruntled neighbour reported you on a whim, or the police themselves did it on no basis, then you have good grounds for complaint and disciplinary action could result. WE DON'T LIVE IN WEST AFRICA! POLICE ARE ACOUNTABLE HERE!

[twiglet4frog]

i think the police complaints can deal with it and also a solicitor may offer free advice but may charge if u take further action, however, i can imagine the whole process distressing for u and ur kids, my only wish is that this doesnt deter the honest policemen from trying to capture the real dealers in future for fear of action if mistakes occur