Pubdate: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 Source: Kitchener-Waterloo Record (CN ON) Copyright: 2002 Kitchener-Waterloo Record Contact: http://www.therecord.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225 NEXT TIME, TRY KNOCKING LOUDER We can only imagine the sheer, visceral terror that must have gripped two Cambridge women who were at home going about their business this week when nearly 10 people suddenly burst through the door. One moment Fung Han Ng was having breakfast while her 83-year-old mother was getting dressed. A split second later there was a crash, the front door had been forced open and strangers were rushing in, yelling as they came. The intruders, as it turned out, were police who had come to the house with an authorized search warrant hoping to find and close down one of Waterloo Region's notorious home-grow marijuana operations. But in this case the officers found nothing more than a house with two very alarmed, very frightened women whose understandable agitation was the direct result of the police action. Ng was told she was under arrest, after an officer grabbed her hands and put them behind her back. Not so long after that, Ng was on the receiving end of a richly deserved police apology. That speedy official response, as well as a commitment to pay for the damaged door, was entirely appropriate on the part of Waterloo regional police. But we hope the matter doesn't end here because we agree with Shiu Ng, who returned from work to find that his home had been broken into by the officers. "This," he said, "is a violation." It was just that. The police, to be sure, were doing their job in investigating this house. They had been told by an official from Cambridge and North Dumfries Hydro there was something suspicious about the Ngs' hydro meter readings and hydro bills. Home-grow operations typically bypass meters and steal electricity to grow marijuana in what can be a hazardous way. Our local police should be cracking down on this activity. And in the case of the raid on the Ngs, the police had the judicial authority to enter the home. Where they erred was not in going to a home where there was no marijuana but in the disturbing way they entered this home. The police say they did knock and identify themselves. Only when there was no response did they crash through the door. Yet the facts suggest they acted rashly and precipitously. Breaking down a door while executing a search warrant could be justified if the police feared evidence was being destroyed, if they thought they faced physical danger and wanted to surprise someone who might be armed or even if they believed they had to act quickly to protect someone inside who was in peril. But even if this had been a home-grow operation, it would take longer than a few minutes to destroy marijuana plants and growing equipment. And there was no sign whatsoever that a serious crime that needed to be dealt with immediately was going on. So we think the police were not justified in behaving as they did. Police, we concede, have a tough job filled with stress and danger. One day they can be criticized for doing too little. The next day they are dumped on for doing too much. We acknowledge all this, as well as the fact that such unwarranted police break-ins are rare. But we have to conclude that the police unintentionally and in the end quite needlessly scared the bejeepers out of two innocent women. The police should take a careful look at the mistake they made in Cambridge and review their policies to ensure it is not repeated. They have earned the trust of law-abiding members of this community and it is important that they keep it. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake