The actions of an eight-member SWAT team that conducted a Feb. 11 narcotics raid have been deemed appropriate in an internal review, Columbia Police Chief Ken Burton said.
Attorney Jeff Hilbrenner says his client Jonathan Whitworth is disappointed that Chief Ken Burton ruled the entry of eight SWAT members and their actions to be appropriate.
A mixed-breed corgi was injured when SWAT officers shot it during a February raid.
The chief yesterday afternoon released the findings of his months long internal investigation into the raid that resulted in the shooting of two dogs, one fatally, and the discovery of a misdemeanor amount of marijuana. A video of the raid has been viewed more than 1 million times online.
Investigators believed Jonathan E. Whitworth, 25, of 1501 Kinloch Court was in possession of a large amount of marijuana. Burton mentioned during his statement that officers found a safe and duffel bags that smelled strongly of marijuana, supporting the belief that Whitworth might have had more drugs at the residence earlier.
"The actions of the officers who made entry into the residence were evaluated based upon Columbia Police Department policy, applicable state laws and the information they had available to them at the time," Burton said. "These are the only criteria by which the actions of these officers can be evaluated fairly."
The investigation answered the questions of whether SWAT members acted according to procedure and whether their actions put the officers, suspect or his family at an unnecessary risk, he said. The answers to both questions is yes, he said, which is why no disciplinary action has been ordered against SWAT members or narcotics investigators but several policy changes have been made to SWAT.
"To answer Question 2, should we do things differently in the future so this doesn't happen again? Yes," he said.
Whitworth is contemplating civil action against the city, his attorney, Jeff Hilbrenner, has said previously. Hilbrenner could not be reached for comment today, and no complaint has been filed with Columbia's Citizens Police Review Board.
Burton also reviewed new changes to SWAT and narcotics investigation policy made two weeks ago, and he said the SWAT incident clearly shows that necessary coordination did not exist within the department.
"The officers in question were there that evening. The rest of us were not," Burton said. "They had to evaluate the dogs face to face and assess the behaviors they were exhibiting."
Deputy Chief Tom Dresner stood by Burton throughout the 50-minute news conference at city hall, and he noted that eight helmet cameras are being purchased for members of the SWAT entry team. The events that took place would have been clearer if the movements of each SWAT member were recorded, Burton said.
Officers knew a child was present before the raid, the findings of the investigation say, although Dresner in February said officers were not aware of a 7-year-old boy before entry. The deputy chief said he had not reviewed all of the incident reports before his statement.
Dresner also said a dog described as a corgi that was shot in the paw during the raid was in fact a mixed-breed dog that more resembles a boxer. The Tribune acquired a photo of the dog nursing its injury that confirms that. The dog was wounded when a SWAT member shot at the pit bull and missed.
Two paid informants participated in the investigation that led to the raid, and the department's policy regarding the use of paid informants remains under review, Burton said. Police believe the informant's information was correct, but public outcry has pushed the tactic under the microscope.
"I will be straight up: I think paying for information from an informant in some ways taints it in some cases," he said. "My staff will be much more careful about that. Commanders will be reviewing policy of when and how much we pay."
Burton said he is continually reviewing department policies and practices, and he became emotional when he spoke about his efforts as a chief and his respect for staff. "I will state publicly I have not been easy on them," he said. "Things that have needed immediate change, a lot of things I asked for they didn't believe in. I am not easy to work for. I am very demanding. I'm insistent on excellence. The people that are standing in this room are excellent, excellent people."
Nonetheless, although extensive changes have come to the department since his arrival last year, Burton said SWAT and narcotics investigation procedures were something his office had not yet reviewed.
"No, I wouldn't have known about it," Burton said of problems with the procedures if not for the Feb. 11 incident. "We probably would have gone on serving these warrants until it came to my attention."
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The Columbia Daily Tribune
Author: Brennan David
Copyright: 2010 The Columbia Daily Tribune
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
Attorney Jeff Hilbrenner says his client Jonathan Whitworth is disappointed that Chief Ken Burton ruled the entry of eight SWAT members and their actions to be appropriate.
A mixed-breed corgi was injured when SWAT officers shot it during a February raid.
The chief yesterday afternoon released the findings of his months long internal investigation into the raid that resulted in the shooting of two dogs, one fatally, and the discovery of a misdemeanor amount of marijuana. A video of the raid has been viewed more than 1 million times online.
Investigators believed Jonathan E. Whitworth, 25, of 1501 Kinloch Court was in possession of a large amount of marijuana. Burton mentioned during his statement that officers found a safe and duffel bags that smelled strongly of marijuana, supporting the belief that Whitworth might have had more drugs at the residence earlier.
"The actions of the officers who made entry into the residence were evaluated based upon Columbia Police Department policy, applicable state laws and the information they had available to them at the time," Burton said. "These are the only criteria by which the actions of these officers can be evaluated fairly."
The investigation answered the questions of whether SWAT members acted according to procedure and whether their actions put the officers, suspect or his family at an unnecessary risk, he said. The answers to both questions is yes, he said, which is why no disciplinary action has been ordered against SWAT members or narcotics investigators but several policy changes have been made to SWAT.
"To answer Question 2, should we do things differently in the future so this doesn't happen again? Yes," he said.
Whitworth is contemplating civil action against the city, his attorney, Jeff Hilbrenner, has said previously. Hilbrenner could not be reached for comment today, and no complaint has been filed with Columbia's Citizens Police Review Board.
Burton also reviewed new changes to SWAT and narcotics investigation policy made two weeks ago, and he said the SWAT incident clearly shows that necessary coordination did not exist within the department.
"The officers in question were there that evening. The rest of us were not," Burton said. "They had to evaluate the dogs face to face and assess the behaviors they were exhibiting."
Deputy Chief Tom Dresner stood by Burton throughout the 50-minute news conference at city hall, and he noted that eight helmet cameras are being purchased for members of the SWAT entry team. The events that took place would have been clearer if the movements of each SWAT member were recorded, Burton said.
Officers knew a child was present before the raid, the findings of the investigation say, although Dresner in February said officers were not aware of a 7-year-old boy before entry. The deputy chief said he had not reviewed all of the incident reports before his statement.
Dresner also said a dog described as a corgi that was shot in the paw during the raid was in fact a mixed-breed dog that more resembles a boxer. The Tribune acquired a photo of the dog nursing its injury that confirms that. The dog was wounded when a SWAT member shot at the pit bull and missed.
Two paid informants participated in the investigation that led to the raid, and the department's policy regarding the use of paid informants remains under review, Burton said. Police believe the informant's information was correct, but public outcry has pushed the tactic under the microscope.
"I will be straight up: I think paying for information from an informant in some ways taints it in some cases," he said. "My staff will be much more careful about that. Commanders will be reviewing policy of when and how much we pay."
Burton said he is continually reviewing department policies and practices, and he became emotional when he spoke about his efforts as a chief and his respect for staff. "I will state publicly I have not been easy on them," he said. "Things that have needed immediate change, a lot of things I asked for they didn't believe in. I am not easy to work for. I am very demanding. I'm insistent on excellence. The people that are standing in this room are excellent, excellent people."
Nonetheless, although extensive changes have come to the department since his arrival last year, Burton said SWAT and narcotics investigation procedures were something his office had not yet reviewed.
"No, I wouldn't have known about it," Burton said of problems with the procedures if not for the Feb. 11 incident. "We probably would have gone on serving these warrants until it came to my attention."
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The Columbia Daily Tribune
Author: Brennan David
Copyright: 2010 The Columbia Daily Tribune
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
