Iowa Homeowners Experience Police State

[Joanne98]

I've noticed that a lot of Iowa homeowners are angry because the police will not let them enter their homes to assess the damage, claiming it is too dangerous. Not only that, but police are kicking in people's doors and searching the homes under the guise of "assessing safety." Sounds a lot like unwarranted searches to me, particularly when they are damaging the homes by breaking windows and doors in order to gain entry -- when the homeowner could simply use the key and let them in. The homeowners are being arrested for trying to go home.

It doesn’t matter if there’s a flood, earthquake, tornado or an invasion by space aliens, the Constitution is still the supreme law of the land. The government does not have the right to block law abiding citizens from their own private property regardless of the situation. If someone wants to die in their home, they have that right. I know that may sound ridiculous, but where do we draw the line? If the government determines what is safe for us and whether or not we can go home... where does it end?

What is really insane about this whole deal is that while people are not allowed to access their homes, these inspectors from the government are allowed to wander around to people’s property for safety purposes. This is a recipe for corruption. How can people be assured that their homes are not being looted by these so called government officials? Governments have time and time again proven to be one of the most corrupt and criminal institutions in the history of mankind. If you don’t believe this to be true, take a look at the looting and pillaging that is currently taking place by the crooks in the federal government.

In Iowa City, the Mayor actually ordered hundreds of people to evacuate their homes. This government bureaucrat has no right to order people to leave their private property regardless of the situation. If people believe the conditions are unsafe, they’ll leave, if not, they’ll stay. It is up to the individual to make that decision, not the government.

A little fourth amendment review may be in order:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.


Am I wrong? Am I being too extreme? I was involved in checkpoint operations during Hurricane Katrina. We kept sightseers from accessing ravaged areas, but if your driver's license proved that you lived there, we let you in. That is how it should be. It may not be popular, and you may even be trying to help people -- but they have a right "to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures."

What do you think?
Posted by prayeramedic at 10:33 AM

http://nwiconnect.blogspot.com/2008/06/iowa-homeowners-experience-police-state.html

I'm soooo sick of safety nazis!!!!!!

[ananda]

1. I agree.

We definitely live in a police state.

They are just preparing the ground for shock
doctrine profiteering.. ala Katrina.

Sue

[MuseRider]

2. I have been wondering the same thing.

I watched it happen in Greensburg as well last year and I wondered how they have the right to decide that you can't go home. The risk is yours to take, you can't sue them if you get hurt, it is your responsibility?

Would they shoot you in the back as you walked past them? Arrest you for going home? It did not used to be this way. Is this just an opportunity for the private corporations to get in there first and discourage people from working together to clean up their communities?

[asjr]

3. That gives new meaning to

"You can't go home again."

[glowing]

53. You are exactly right.. this is a way for private corporations to win

no-bid private contracts to "rebuild" while really doing nothing for the people who need the funds and will be left still 2 years from now with moldy walls and decaying towns.. Kinda like the 9th ward in New Orleans.. or various towns along the gulf shore (you know, the one's without a casino in the town).

[madaboutharry]

4. Here where I live in Wisconsin there was a lot of

flood damage. Nothing like what has been experienced in Iowa, but many people in my town have had up to 4 feet of raw sewage in their basements and homes. They have been left on their own to deal with it. So I don't really see how they are claiming it is for the safety of the homeowners. Nothing like that is happening here.

[kestrel91316]

5. I think we need to weigh THE GENERAL PUBLIC'S rights along with

INDIVIDUAL rights. It's always a balancing act with public safety issues.

I'm not saying the authorities in IA might not have been heavy-handed and perhaps overstepped their bounds. It's just not a cut-and-dried black and white issue.

I think it's sad that people blithely assume that everyone who works for the government is evil and would loot and rob them blind while on the job. There may be some bad apples, but I can pretty much guarantee that most government employees are people like you and me who care about doing a good job and not engaging in blatant criminal behavior while representing DC or IA.

Everyone out there is NOT your enemy. Chill out. Let them do their jobs.

[tkmorris]

8. Then explain it to me

What possible reason could the police have for breaking into and searching people's homes? Furthermore, by what right do they disallow the homeowners to return to them?

[Hobarticus]

15. Damned if you do, damned if you don't...

I see nothing insidious about this.

Maybe they're checking to see if residents can indeed leave on their own power? What if this resident was disabled.....think it might have anything to do with actually wanting to help people?

Cops were damned for leaving residents behind in New Orleans. Now they're damned for backtracking and making sure that people are capable of leaving.

Can't win for losing...

[Blue Gardener]

28. I live in Iowa

They weren't "searching" their homes, they were checking for gas leaks, crumbling foundations, or anything else that might threaten the safety of the homeowners. If someone walked into their home and immediately fell through the floor into a sewage filled basement, there would be hell to pay. The people going into the homes are mostly local firefighters and police officers, and some of them live in the affected areas. Given the circumstances, safety must come first.

[tom_paine]

47. Good point and firsthand anecdotal experience. Not everything is sinister.

Stiil, there's something about not being able to return to one's home in the wake of a disaster that is creepy, too.

I mean, it hasn't always been like this, has it, people being barred from their homes? I honestly don't know, not living in a disaster-prone area. Can anyone with experience in these matters help me?

What did people do 10, 20 or 50 years ago? Surely some must have walked in and, as you put it, fallen into basement full of sewage or worse. That's their personal responsibility, and as was mentioned above, it's not like they could sue the state in this case, could they?

I am genuinely interested in what you think about these points I just made, and I do mostly agree with you. I also appreciate your firsthand anecdotal input. Thanks.

[Blue Gardener]

48. I think the local authorities were doing their best

This was a situation that was way beyond anything that we could have imagined. It was a very difficult situation for all concerned, and I believe the police department, fire department, and other local authorities were truly just trying their best to keep everyone safe. Understandably, people were anxious to return to their homes as soon as possible, even if that home was totally destroyed by the floodwaters. I have friends and relatives in the flooded areas, and I understand they are completely stressed out and anxious about what has happened to their homes. Everyone I know understood that they just had to be patient, wait for the floodwaters to recede, and wait for their homes to be inspected before they could return to them. As of yesterday, there was only one small area that was still inaccessible. Everyone else has been able to return to salvage what they can.

[Echo In Light]

49. See my post #45

[Blue Gardener]

52. I can certainly understand his frustration

Considering the volatility of the situation, I think the police handled it the best they could. I hope the charges are dropped. I'm sure under normal circumstances this man would never think of threatening a police officer. Thankfully, it didn't escalate to the point where someone was injured.

[Carnea]

30. Thank You.... NT

[hack89]

46. Perhaps to ensure gas, water and electricty were turned off?

to ensure public safety?

[EFerrari]

9. How would the general public's rights be compromised

by someone entering their own home?

Basically what you're saying is "trust authority" and we know how well that's worked for the last seven years.

[Uncle Joe]

6. I believe the Fourth Amendment just got over turned by the Congress with their FISA capitulation.

The problem with this column is that it's too Constitutional.

[Subdivisions]

7. Check out this video of "authorities" breaking into homes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONAudPPhum8

[Hobarticus]

14. They look like proper "authorities" to me...eom

[Subdivisions]

17. If they entered my home in that way, someone

would come out of there dead. You seriesly don't see a problem with what they're doing?

[Hobarticus]

18. Looks like a standard S&R to me...

The citizens have been told to evacuate.

They suspect someone's still in a house.

The authorities have NO IDEA....NONE what the situation is in there. Someone could be in a wheelchair, someone could've had a stroke....they're going in blind.

Apparently they left their fascist textbook at home, because as you can plainly see, the resident was left in the home anyway. So as fascists, they pretty much suck.

If you want to ignore an ordered evacutaion, fine. Expect someone to come and see if you need help to evacuate. But that'd be an infirgingment on your right to be stupid and leave yourself in harm's way, apparently.

Then again, if they didn't they'd be ignoring someone who potentially needed assistance. I'd rather they err on the side of caution.

We're not exactly the rootin'-tootin' guns a-blazin' type up here, so I have no idea why I'd freak out when the police show up. I have no qualms with proper authorities, so I'd cooperate. Then again, I'd have been long gone.

[lonestarnot]

31. In many instances keys were offered, so witf is with breaking down the fucking door?

Just another assault on homeowners!

[Hobarticus]

41. Link?

[high density]

33. I think a knock on the door would be appropriate

If nobody comes to the door then one can assume that there is nobody home or anybody who is home is not interested in talking with the "authorities." If the people are not going to be forcibly removed from their homes then there is no reason to break into them just to have a chat.

[Hobarticus]

42. LOL! Sorry can't come to the door, I've had a heart attack...

Sorry, that's absurd.

[high density]

50. If they were looking for dead people, where are the cadaver dogs?

Was there a phone call for help? Somebody could be having a heart attack right now on my street, but for some I do not see the "authorities" walking down it with a crowbar and busting into every house to make sure that everybody is still alive and doesn't need assistance.

[countryjake]

36. The video was taken AFTER the waters had receded in Cedar Rapids...

not before!

People waiting for hours to return to their homes, just to inspect the damage and begin recovery, were asked to hand over their keys so that "inspection" teams could evaluate the "safety" of the property.

Reports poured in of those "Strike Teams" misplacing or flat-out losing the keys they had taken from people, windows broken, door jambs destroyed, and at least one instance of a guy impersonating National Guard wearing a uniform and all the regalia, while others have been "aided" by individuals claiming to be Federal Emergency Management officials requesting proof of address, social security numbers or financial information, who seem to have identity theft scams as a motive, along with the intent of taking advantage of folk who had been "evacuated" before the levee broke, by "inspecting" homes and "safely clearing" valuable property that had resale value.

That man was threatened with being "escorted" from his home after he had just rode out one hell of a flood in his neighborhood.

http://badamerican.wordpress.com/2008/06/18/cedar-rapids-iowa-state-cops-acting-like-fascist-thugs/

[Hobarticus]

43. He still wasn't supposed to be there....

I just choose not to assume something insidious is going on.

[high density]

51. Then that makes this even more crazy

Why do these "strike teams" think that they are experts at judging whether a property is safe to enter or not? Surely the homeowner would be just as good of a judge at that.

[SoCalDem]

10. The problem is this..

They are sent in to preserve order and to protect people..not property.

What damage is done, is done..and especially in the immediate aftermath, there is usually no power, there might be snakes or injured animals in the house..and people are in shock from the event, so I CAN understand the police not wanting people to be injured trying to retrieve some waterlogged mementos..The water is also filled with contaminants ..pesticides..gasoline..fertilizer.. dead animals..broken glass,, twisted metal...and much of it may be submerged, just waiting to be stepped on

Emergency services are in short supply during and immediately after a catastrophe, and creating more injured people is not a good thing..

It's also possible that the police are over-reacting, but they are likely to be stressed out too and overworked during the emergency..

There may even be an element of anger too, since floods like this have warnings, and maybe people stayed too long, and put themselves in danger.. this may affect how police act afterwards too.. Only earthquakes happen with NO warning.. Most weather-related incidents have warnings, and people can get complacent and not heed the warnings.. This has to annoy emergency responders somewhat.. It's NOT an excuse for rudeness, ...just an explanation..

If authorities have been telling people to evacuate, and gather their important things & get OUT..and then they don't..the police may be less than eager to have these same people wandering around the damaged area, looking for things they should have already secured in a safer place...days earlier...


It would suck to be prevented from assessing damage and trying to salvage what you could, but you are ONE person or one family, and you are NOT the only one person or family..the police/Nat'l Guard HAVE to treat everyone the same..It's not personal.. Most of them would rather be anywhere else..

[EFerrari]

23. There are always multiple reasons for our civil rights to be curtailed.

What the police want or what would make their job easier is not the issue, at all. It would make their job easier if all of us would just go to the detention area and sit quietly. That's not the issue.

What it is within the rights of citizens to do with their own personal liberty and with their property is the issue.

[malaise]

35. I disagree

Adults have to right to decide if they want to risk injuries in their own homes. Who knows if corrupt cops are looting their homes, searching their papers, etc.

[Hobarticus]

11. Frankly, I think this is a ridiculous post....

Iowa City ordered an evacuation to save lives. It had nothing to do with some unseen insidious force in the gov't that wants to make people walk and chew gum at the same time.

Emergency and rescue services are overwhelmed in situations like this. By evacuating portions of the city they were able to concentrate on other emergencies and hopefully avoid a panic when the water really did rise, as they were aware it was going to. Your average homeowner may not be privy to the resources to know what the city knew.

But hey, if you insist on staying in your home, great. Then you'll have no problem signing a release form, freeing the city, state and fed from any further obligation to rescue you. After all, if you want to be the big bad libertarian, you should go all the way and forego all forms of gov't help altogether, right? RIGHT?

The city has an obligation to make sure structures are safe. They inspected the homes and let people back as quickly as they could. If they hadn't, then they would again be taxing their resources should these structures fail. One homeowner in Cedar Rapids started pumping water out of his basement, only to have the basement walls collapse because the pressure outside the wall was too great. Again, sometimes the gov't is smarter than the average citizen.

So if your home is on fire, you're in imminent danger, the city has NO OBLIGATION to remove you from the property? I suppose, but is that what they're paid to do: ask your permission?

[flashl]

12. ..

FEMA

Here are just a few Executive Orders associated with FEMA that would suspend the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. These Executive Orders have been on record for nearly 30 years and could be enacted by the stroke of a Presidential pen:

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 10990 allows the government to take over all modes of transportation and control of highways and seaports.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 10995 allows the government to seize and control the communication media.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 10997 allows the government to take over all electrical power, gas, petroleum, fuels and minerals.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 10998 allows the government to seize all means of transportation, including personal cars, trucks or vehicles of any kind and total control over all highways, seaports, and waterways.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 10999 allows the government to take over all food resources and farms.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11000 allows the government to mobilize civilians into work brigades under government supervision.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11001 allows the government to take over all health, education and welfare functions.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11002 designates the Postmaster General to operate a national registration of all persons.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11003 allows the government to take over all airports and aircraft, including commercial aircraft.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11004 allows the Housing and Finance Authority to relocate communities, build new housing with public funds, designate areas to be abandoned, and establish new locations for populations.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11005 allows the government to take over railroads, inland waterways and public storage facilities.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11051 specifies the responsibility of the Office of Emergency Planning and gives authorization to put all Executive Orders into effect in times of increased international tensions and economic or financial crisis.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11310 grants authority to the Department of Justice to enforce the plans set out in Executive Orders, to institute industrial support, to establish judicial and legislative liaison, to control all aliens, to operate penal and correctional institutions, and to advise and assist the President.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11049 assigns emergency preparedness function to federal departments and agencies, consolidating 21 operative Executive Orders issued over a fifteen year period.

* EXECUTIVE ORDER 11921 allows the Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency to develop plans to establish control over the mechanisms of production and distribution, of energy sources, wages, salaries, credit and the flow of money in U.S. financial institution in any undefined national emergency. It also provides that when a state of emergency is declared by the President, Congress cannot review the action for six months. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has broad powers in every aspect of the nation. General Frank Salzedo, chief of FEMA's Civil Security Division stated in a 1983 conference that he saw FEMA's role as a "new frontier in the protection of individual and governmental leaders from assassination, and of civil and military installations from sabotage and/or attack, as well as prevention of dissident groups from gaining access to U.S. opinion, or a global audience in times of crisis." FEMA's powers were consolidated by President Carter to incorporate:

o the National Security Act of 1947, which allows for the strategic relocation of industries, services, government and other essential economic activities, and to rationalize the requirements for manpower, resources and production facilities;

o the 1950 Defense Production Act, which gives the President sweeping powers over all aspects of the economy;

o the Act of August 29, 1916, which authorizes the Secretary of the Army, in time of war, to take possession of any transportation system for transporting troops, material, or any other purpose related to the emergency; and

o the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which enables the President to seize the property of a foreign country or national. These powers were transferred to FEMA in a sweeping consolidation in 1979.

[Bigmack]

25. Exec Order 10997...

says the govt can seize all petroleum. Now THAT might piss the oil companies off if the govt did that.... oh, I don't know.... TODAY!

[CoffeeCat]

13. I live in Iowa...

...and I certainly don't know every tidbit that is happening.

However, it is my understanding that the damage to the homes near the Cedar River is absolutely
mind blowing. The water was 10 feet deep in many neighborhoods. I know those neighborhoods
in Cedar Rapids (CR) pretty well, because I grew up in Cear Rapids. My grandmother used to live in the area
near downtown Cedar Rapids, where the worst of the flooding happened. Most of these homes are very
old. Really old. So, there are problems with these structures totally buckling and crumbling.

I've read the CR Gazette and articles on the local CR affiliates daily. There is widespread reporting
of homes that have completely disintegrated. The foundations buckled. Gas mains have broken. Plus,
there is a ton of sewage and chemicals in the water. People have developed rashes from being in the water.
There was a report in The CR Gazette about many people showing up at the local hospital with this rash.

If you saw video from the floods, the water---for several blocks away from the river--was up to the tops
of stop signs. I know someone who has a business six blocks from the Cedar River, and the roof of the
business wasn't even visible. Four hundred blocks (that's four hundred!) were affected by this flood. So
you can imagine that the first ten blocks, each direction of the river--experienced massive, catastrophic
damage. These are the neighborhoods were officials are requiring inspections before home- and business-owners
re-enter their property.

The pressure of all of that water has created the potential for very unsafe, unstable houses and businesses.

Look, I know we live in a police state. You won't catch me arguing that point. However, in the case of
the Cedar Rapids flooding--there are blocks and blocks of houses that are just completely destroyed. Furthermore,
there are also houses that are standing and look fine on the outside--but their foundations and frames are
compromised. It's not safe for people to return until the police and other officials have inspected the homes.

Just my 2 cents.

[progressoid]

19. I like your 2 cents.

:hi:

[barbtries]

38. it's a good 2 cents

guess we all walk a fine line. good post, thanks

[Trillo]

16. I agree.

Police should not be allowed to break in to anyone's home without a warrant issued by a judge, and they should not be allowed to prevent people from accessing their own homes.

Bye Bye 4th.

[Greyhound]

20. While the founders of our country wrote passionately and frequently about

how it is the right and duty of the citizens to throw off tyrannical government, they provided no set means of doing so. This outrage is evidence of the ineffectiveness of merely voting. We have accepted, in exchange for the illusion of safety, the yoke of tyranny and labored under it for so long tat few even notice it any longer.

The fact that shrub, and Johnson and Nixon before him, have been allowed to "nationalize" the state militias, in direct contravention of The Constitution, stands as evidence that we are not free citizens.

[cascadiance]

21. There's also a problem not having access to your house when you don't have insurance...

Those that don't have flood insurance, and will ultimately have to foot the bill themselves for what damage they have (or HOPE the feds will give them some assistance back), will want to get into their house, do things like tear down grout, air out their place and QUICKLY get rid of anything that would cause mold and mildew that could ultimately destroy their entire house. If they can get there early enough, they might need some major remodeling and construction on their lower floors, but if they can saved the foundation, etc. they could rebuild their house a lot less expensively. Now when the government steps in, they are either screwing THEM, not allowing them to minimize their costs, or screwing US the taxpayer, by STUPIDLY not allowing them to minimize their costs and passing it on to us in terms of paying them back for newer housing via FEMA payouts, etc.

We need some more common sense from these bureaucrats!

[AmyDeLune]

22. It reminds me of what happened to college dormitory of my university one X-Mas...

The university mandated that all residents of the college dormitories leave over the holidays. There was always (and rightly so) a lot of complaints that a fair number of students didn't have the money to travel or go elsewhere for a month, or didn't have any family they wanted to spend the holidays with. The administration was adamant however, for security reasons the dorms would have to be emptied to prevent theft and property damage.

You can see where this is going, right...?

Sure enough, once the dorms were empty and the campus deserted, someone got a passkey to the dorms and helped themselves to bicycles, computers, software, stereo equipment, text books, and pretty much anything of value that could be loaded into a truck and converted to cash.

The university was sorting out the insurance claims for months and remarkably, decided that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing after all if students were on campus during X-Mas break...

[BlooInBloo]

24. What "unreasonable" means is up to a judge, not you or me.

[anigbrowl]

26. DUer's experience cut-n-paste BS

I'm tried of reading uninformed blog posts (which also violate DU's fair use policy). My friend is a cop in Iowa and he is working hard on behalf of local citizens there, not enforcing a police state. So is his wife, who's a doctor. Maybe you should try to use better blog sources that actually do some follow up research rather than just marketing your latent outrage back to you. This stuff is just the leftie equivalent of Rush Limbaugh.

[dajoki]

27. Imo, you are not wrong...

I would not trust local police in my house whatsoever, especially my town's. I live in a small town and the police rule with an iron fist and they hold grudges so they would do and have done things to get back at people they don't like.

[baldguy]

29. That's pre-9/11 thinking.

There are dangerous people in this world that want to kill us. Don't you know we're at war? Why do you hate America?

[Uncle Joe]

32. Apparently, this thread reflects pre 9/11 thinking as well.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3497613

"the NSA approached Qwest more than six months before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks"....

I know you were kidding, but I thought your post was an appropriate one to place this one.

[malaise]

34. It is frightening n/t

[barbtries]

37. i'm with you 100%

i was watching a feed from cedar rapids last weekend. the anchors kept telling the people, it's for your safety, it's for your safety...hard to imagine that a week later they're still keeping people from accessing their own property. that is wrong.

[Liberty Belle]

39. Here's the flipside:

Here in California we've seen homeowners upset over law enforcement refusing to let them back into burned areas to check on their homes. Some people would defy authorities and sneak back in, or never leave to begin with.

Unfortunately they don't realize that hot spots can flare up and a new blaze erupt. Then firefighters or police, who are in very short supply during a wildfire, wind up wasting their time rescuing people who shouldn't have been in the disaster zone--instead of putting out fires or helping people in imminent need to evacuate.

Similarly, there are stories of earthquake survivors going back into homes too soon, only to have them collapse and kill or injure the homeowners.

I imagine a flooded house could be in danger of collapse, or there could be snakes or other hazards inside.

If I were a property owner, I'd naturally be eager to get back into my home as swiftly as possible, but I would also understand the need for authorities to keep people out of harm's way until the flood waters subside, so that rescue personnel can focus on helping those who may still be trapped.

[orleans]

40. iowa: welcome to america. (learning the hard way) n/t

[CanonRay]

44. The 4th Amendment was repealed last week.

Didn't you hear?

[Echo In Light]

45. Iowa Man Arrested for Driving Through Flood Barricade

http://www.kimt.com/news/local/19979189.html

Word of mouth is that the charges will be dropped. I live in the area, and have driven along the carnage, and no, I'm certainly not seeing "police state" tactics down there by the river. {Thankfully no Blackwater USA!}...although I'm sure one could find questionable incidents given the numbers involved. No question, that.

Much of the problem is, without any $ to properly clean/repair, people will naturally try to renter their homes and attempt to settle in again. Then I admit it becomes a very dicey issue for all involved.

Incidentally, I find the routine police traffic 'check points' one used to see here many yrs ago to be far more indicative of totalitarian measures.

[ColbertWatcher]

54. This is how the GOP get votes...

[earth mom]

55. Yep they've gone to far. And I'd bet money they are protecting the city for the insurance company

to prevent the city from getting sued down the line.

What utter bullshit. :grr: