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'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House Searching

By Jeralyn, Section Crime Policy
Posted on Wed Mar 29, 2006 at 09:20:48 PM EST
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Here's the story: A police officer may have accidentally shot herself outside a house in Long Beach, California. She was found slumped over the wheel of her car. An "Officer Down" call went out. Then,

Long Beach police said dispatchers received an "officer down" call made from inside the Wrigley neighborhood home about 6 a.m. Moments after finding Rosa wounded in the driveway, officers swarmed the area and conducted house-to-house searches.

The 911 call was placed by the resident of the property where the officer was found. The resident appears to be her partner.

So the police go to the house, find the woman dead on the scene, and on her partner's word they search - the neighbors? House to house searches of a neighborhood without a warrant in this situation sounds quite excessive--and frightening.

[Hat tip to reader Kirk]

Update: Looks like it wasn't an accidental discharge but a homicide after all.

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    'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House Searching | 25 comments (25 topical)
    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#1)
    by squeaky on Wed Mar 29, 2006 at 09:45:20 PM EST
    So what does one do when the police demand to search your house under those or any other circumstances? Just say no if there is no warrant? Doesn't that immediately make you a suspect causing more hassles? It is frightening to think about what to do in that situation, especially if you are friends with the victim, or worse if you did not get along with them. Yucko.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#2)
    by Edger on Wed Mar 29, 2006 at 11:22:07 PM EST
    Rosa was found slumped over the open trunk of her car...with a gunshot wound to her upper body, police said. Condolences to Rosa's three brothers and two sisters. Her discharged weapon lay before her in the trunk. The police obviously had reason to be concerned, but on what possible grounds can they justify this?: Resident Linda Vizcarra said the sound of fire engines awoke her at "6ish" and police came knocking. "They checked my car and told us we wouldn't be able to leave right away," said Vizcarra The immediate concern is understandable, I suppose, but locking down an entire neighborhood out of knee jerk reaction is pretty excessive. Do they do this everytime they find a suicide victim, too?

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 01:18:20 AM EST
    on another note, i thought you might find this interesting. a flash map showing all troop fatalities in iraq over time: http://www.obleek.com/iraq/index.html

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 05:01:53 AM EST
    No warrant? No "hot pursuit"? Sounds to me like most of the neighborhood has an obligation to sue the city.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 05:12:42 AM EST
    Yes, yes, they do.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 06:15:47 AM EST
    To me this is an example of how an attitude towards the constitution at the top filters down to the bottom. The cops are fully aware of the Preznits and his justice dept's disdain for our constitutional protections. If the Bushbag Mis-Admin can do it so can we.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#8)
    by Patrick on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 07:56:43 AM EST
    House to house searches of a neighborhood without a warrant in this situation sounds quite excessive--and frightening.
    Not if the neighbors were concerned and cooperative after learning one of their neighbors had been shot and gave consent. There's nothing in the article that indicates these searches were conducted in an unlawful manner, and it's quite a leap to suggest otherwise. As for the neighbor who was not allowed to leave, perhaps leaving necessitated her having to enter the crime scene, and as such was not allowed until some preliminary investigation was conducted. Other than that, I see no indication of a lockdown in the neighborhood.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#9)
    by Peaches on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 08:07:24 AM EST
    Folks, I am certainly a believer in civil rights and all that goes along with them. We can't make many exceptions. But, before we make judgements, we should let all the fact play out. If a woman was found face down in her trunk, dead from a gunshot wound, by police in my neighborhood, and they even suspected it might be homocide, I will be staying in my house and doing whatever the police say until I am told it is safe to come out. It would only be days later that I would start asking questions about illegal searches. My immediate concern would be the safety of my family and I.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#11)
    by Jlvngstn on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 09:08:39 AM EST
    I cannot fault the police here. If I were a resident of the block I would want to make sure that if there were a suspect on the loose (my guess is they would have high-tailed out immediately though) I would want a significant police presence in the area. I do agree with most LEO's that anyone crazy enough to shoot a police officer is more dangerous than the average killer. Perhaps that is dumb thinking as a killer is a killer, but as much as I love my right to privacy this is an instance where I would not argue. Cops in that situation are under undue stress as it is one of their own, I could completely understand any hyper-sensitivity.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 09:50:12 AM EST
    According to today's LA Times - This is now a homicide investigation. Her weapon was not discharged, and she had 2 .22 caliber bullets in her. So, it appears that the police were right in this case to search the neighborhood. As for being stupid enough to kill a cop - she was apparently not wearing her uniform, so unless the shooter personally knew her, they might not have known she was a cop. Perhaps it was a robbery gone wrong.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#13)
    by kdog on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 10:10:50 AM EST
    I feel for the police in a situtation such as this...I really do. They still ain't coming in my house without a warrant...not ever. Maybe I'd feel differently if the govt. didn't make me a criminal for my choice in vice. As things are, if I cooperate, I run the risk of getting locked up.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#14)
    by squeaky on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 10:19:44 AM EST
    Perhaps I am wrong but wouldn't any evidence found while searching without a warrant be invalid? The rush to do house to house searches, if that is in fact what occured, seems based on passion rather than good judgement based on law. Good thing a kid was not hiding in a closet for some unrelated reason, or a burglary was in progress. Someone would have most likely gotten shot because they were assumed to be the cop killer.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#15)
    by Patrick on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 10:51:41 AM EST
    Perhaps I am wrong but wouldn't any evidence found while searching without a warrant be invalid?
    Depends on the circumstances. The 4th Amendment protects from "Unreasonable" searches, not all searches. There are boatloads of case law that define what makes a search reasonable, but the reader's digest version is the cops need consent, a warrant, exigent circumstances (which means the immediate protection of life or property) or a search waiver such as probation or parole etc. If any one of those circumstances exist, then the search would be lawful and any evidence admissable. Of course there are exceptions to all of these examples, but it would take more bandwidth than TL wants to pay for to explain them all. Kdog, You have the right to refuse. No one's taking that away.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#16)
    by Jlvngstn on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 10:52:15 AM EST
    Kdog, that is where I am torn. I would absolutely let them in, but I would staunchly defend another's right to deny them entry. I think we have to tread a very fine line here because it does infringe upon homeowner rights which I hold in very high esteem. But on the same token, how could I turn away a Police Officer looking to capture someone that executed one of their own? I understand it is a slippery slope but in this case I would have my skis on..... My condolences to her family and friends.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 10:58:08 AM EST
    Ya gotta love it. The boys from nitwit nation are all for the Cops being granted carte blanche to barge into everybody's house and to shoot first and ask questions later all in the interest of public safety. Ah, that conservative "thought."

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#18)
    by Jlvngstn on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 11:10:01 AM EST
    I am sorry Charlie, did you have a coherent comment to make, or are you just here to flame on the left? I see no comment from any rightie here that is in support of the cops shooting and asking questions later. The question is should they have a right to search one's home after this incident. I think most have said that it is wrong to do it without permission but most would allow the search. Even with all the fighting Patrick and I have done over the years, I would let him in my crib in this situation without question.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#20)
    by Patrick on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 11:27:40 AM EST
    Narius, I think Kdog enjoys his weed. Even thought I frequently disagree with his positions, he is one of few who remains consistent in his beliefs and doesn't sway from them if the circumstances support a particular political viewpoint. I can respect that, even if we disagree.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#21)
    by Jlvngstn on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 11:29:45 AM EST
    Not everyone who believes in their right to appropriate search and seizure is a criminal. Why do you think the 4th amendment was written? Were all of our forefathers dope addicts that did not want the police to have access to their stash?

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 11:41:20 AM EST
    Gee, I see no comment from any righty that's anything but a thinly-veiled call to do just that. It's a quiet middle class neighborhood, but it's mostly Hispanic. The only thing the vic has going for her is that she's a Cop. If she wasn't, she'd get back burnered so fast your head would spin. It's Long Beach, it's SoCal. The Cops rarely get outta their cars. They ride around like an occupying Army. And you wonder why the people don't think the Policeman is their friend! My neighbor is a Cop. I know the guy. I've got nothing to hide. That's my experience. Evidently, it's not theirs.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#23)
    by kdog on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 12:30:17 PM EST
    Thanks for the kind words Pat...I have come to respect your opinions as well, and you've led me to question my stances on certain issues, which is always a good thing. Narius..I am neither. Mind your business, it ain't nothin' that has any effect on you and yours. Peace.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#24)
    by kdog on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 12:34:00 PM EST
    And don't be such a totalitarian narius!

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#25)
    by jen on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 01:25:12 PM EST
    why were they going house to house if they thought it was a suicide at first? and if I were confronted by cops on my doorstep at 6:00 am upset for reasons I didn't know about at the time I wouldn't say no, one needs courage for that.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#26)
    by Patrick on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 02:19:08 PM EST
    why were they going house to house if they thought it was a suicide at first?
    Because until you know, you treat it like a homicide. Better to over investigate a suicide than under investigate a homicide.
    and if I were confronted by cops on my doorstep at 6:00 am upset for reasons I didn't know about at the time I wouldn't say no, one needs courage for that.
    That pre-supposes that they were upset and perhaps unprofessional when they made contact during the neighborhood canvas. I think that's highly unlikely, since the victim worked for the Sheriff's Department and the investigators were LBPD. They probably didn't even know each other. Of course there is a bond between all law enforcement and each death takes its toll, but I'm certain they weren't running amok breaking into houses at 6am. LBPD has very highly regarded homicide detectives.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 02:46:37 PM EST
    Highly regarded by whom? Other Cops? SFW! From the sound of the article, it's a middle class neighborhood. All the names mentioned were Hispanic. Their experiences with Cops may not all be positive. So gettin' a rude awakening at 6AM with demands to search the premises may not be the best way to start their day. I can't say that I blame them for a second.

    Re: 'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House (none / 0) (#28)
    by jen on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 03:21:22 PM EST
    Yeah, ok, I can see that they would have to not assume anything. Sorry, cops always look a little stern to me (well, ok, except that cute one that pulled up when my car wouldn't start) and having grown up under a military junta, I have the same attitude twards cops as anyone raised under those conditions. I know better, of course.

    'Officer Down' Call Results in House to House Searching | 25 comments (25 topical)