By: Nicholaus Perry, Reporter
OMAHA, Neb. – As no-knock search warrants continue to be legal search warrants in Nebraska, the city of Minneapolis has halted the use of no-knock search warrants.
On Feb. 2, Minneapolis law enforcement executed a no-knock search warrant on the premises involving Amir Locke. Locke was killed by police during the no-knock search warrant.
The people of Minneapolis had protested and demanded justice for Amir Locke. The people of Omaha are considering that Nebraska should investigate more policies and restrictions against no-knock search warrants.
Roberto Palacios, a receptionist who believes that no-knock search warrants should stay in Nebraska but investigate at certain points. “It would be a good thing to investigate it, just because of what happened in Minneapolis. They issued the no-knock warrant, but it seemed a little unnecessary,” Palacios said.
Ben Gray, who was a previous reporter covering a story involving a no-knock search warrant lists more negatives besides the danger at hand. “What the problem with that is when you do a no-knock search warrant is that you do damage. So, you damage the door, you may damage some other property there, for someone who rents, they have to pay that,” Gray said.
In the Nebraska Revised Statute, “the officer may break open any outer or inner door or window of a dwelling house or other building, if, after notice of his office and purpose” (Section 29-411).
With the Amir Locke no-knock search warrant incident, Ben Gray also explained the learning opportunities all the cities and states that can learn from that situation.
Even though no-knock search warrants are still legal in Nebraska, the White House is currently investigating a policy that will limit the use of no-knock warrants across the nation.
