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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    66

    Default Tip Line Abuse

    My question involves police conduct in the State of: Florida
    I have been having a problem with local police over tips that are anonymous (yes I have an enemy).It started several years ago with accusations that my family was running a robbery ring and we were major drug dealers with a large weapons cache.We have been investigated by HRS (now child protective services) and local police. Fortunately the accusations were always so ridiculous that the investigations didn't last long.At first I let them look around without a warrant but after a while I just said no.

    But recently we were raided by cops with shields and combat shotguns.Even though they did not have a no knock warrant they rushed my house immediately after knocking.They searched for about 3 hours(20 cops and a dog in a 1400 sq.ft. house) and asked questions about cultivation.Apparently the accusations were that we are running a grow-house.When I asked what probable cause they had they said" an anonymous tip and evidence from a trash pull".They would not elaborate as to what kind of evidence would indicate cultivation.They also kept asking about where our guns were.I told them I have never owned a gun.After finding nothing they left.
    6 months later the drug task force shows up at my door and tell me they had an anonymous tip that I'm running a grow house and asked if they could search my house.I referred them to the lead cop in the earlier raid and said ask them what they found.

    It seems obvious that there was something fishy about what they must have told the judge to get that warrant but since there was no arrest I can't get any info on what happened.Lawyers tell me that I can get a nominal amount for the knock and announce violation but since the damage was not great it would cost me more upfront than any award I might get.I really just want to protect myself from this tip line.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    California
    Posts
    20,594

    Default Re: Tip Line Abuse

    The police did NOT get a warrant and raid your home based SOLELY on an anonymous tip. Sorry, that just is not likely to happen. If it DID, then the department involved had better get ready to go bankrupt and the judge that signed that kind of a crap warrant had better be prepared to face an ethics committee.

    Chances are they conducted some additional follow-up to support the affidavit for the warrant. I promise you they did NOT simply have on the affidavit, "Anonymous caller to tip line said these were bad people ..."

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    66

    Default Re: Tip Line Abuse

    But of course,there IS more to the story.I mentioned I have an enemy.And they are a very active public official.They knew Tampa has had GREAT success with grow houses recently.But there are also grow house cases that have been lost recently do to overzealous cops.Most of the good busts are from anonymous tips followed by a 3 month investigation.Our city is crying over budget cuts and there have been many grow-house busts in the bay area that were worth over 1 million $.Rumors have it that local LE are simply giddy over them.
    After they found nothing the Captain of the raid team was very apologetic.And asked us if we felt they were professional about the entry.He kept mentioning that no one was hurt.
    BTW during a raid in ST. Pete 2 days after my raid a homeowner was accidentally shot in the head during a grow-house raid.But the police found nothing.And there are no follow ups on this story.In fact I can no longer find the original story online.
    Since the case is closed can I get the affidavit used to show the judge probable cause?I'm not certain if it is exempt from the FOI act.I have the report and it does not mention probable cause or anything about any kind of investigation.
    The fact that this latest tip was handled by a fishing trip to my front door supports my theory that they had no probable cause.And of course there is that sticky little point that there was no grow operation or anything to suggest recent grow activity.And I know there was nothing in my garbage.No empty grow light boxes,no seeds,no empty cans of miracle grow.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Tip Line Abuse

    I agree with Carl. Particularly in light of:

    and evidence from a trash pull

    That would seem to indicate that they had MORE reason than just an anonymous tipster.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    66

    Default Re: Tip Line Abuse

    Of course you are both right.I am not naive enough to believe the cop was telling the truth.I never said that it was done on a anonymous tip.I said that the cop said it was an anonymous tip.

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