Sep 16, 2016, 04:28 AM
9news Wrote:MESA COUNTY - Law enforcement conducted a SWAT operation at the wrong home on Wednesday morning, shocking a family with several children.
Police say they had gotten a tip that the home in Clifton was housing a large amount of methamphetamine.
After obtaining a search warrant from a judge early that morning, officers forced entry into the house, breaking windows in the process. It wasn't until they were in the home that law enforcement realized the current residents weren't the suspects.
Police say the suspects had lived at the address at one time, but had since moved. Living in the home now was a family with several children.
"We are deeply regretful of the experience to which this family was subjected. We have met with the family, including the children, to explain in detail how such a mistake was made," The Mesa County Sheriff’s Officesaid in a statement.
The sheriff's office said it will replace the windows, doors and carpet.
Luckily, no one was injured.
How do you raid the wrong people?
Seriously, is there any legitimate explanation for this? The police statement says they conducted surveillance on the house, but if they had really done so, they would have seen that the people going in and out were not the suspects they were looking for. Some basic detective work like checking to see if the house the suspects allegedly lived in was still in their possession could've prevented this. The worst part is that if the family does take on the long, grueling process of suing the city and happens to win, chances are nobody in the police department will be held accountable for this and only the taxpayers will lose out.
I think it's all just outrageous.