Fourth Amendment Rights Violated? You Decide.

Fourth Amendment Rights Violated? You Decide.

According to the Dallas Morning News, surveillance cameras at a Garland, Texas home captured police officers rummaging through duffle bags, searching a vehicle parked in the driveway and forcing a surveillance camera to turn, breaking the mount. The officers were looking for the homeowner’s brother, a felon convicted of fraud.

According to the homeowner, his brother does not live with him, and he and his wife are upset that police officers conducted searches on their property without permission. And, the homeowners just want a simple apology.

A Garland police internal affairs investigator met with the homeowners telling them that the officers’ actions were proper, even acknowledging that he believed one of the officers had opened the unlocked, back door to the home.

University of Texas at Austin law professor and authority on criminal procedures, George Dix, feels that the homeowners’ Fourth Amendment rights were violated. The Fourth Amendment guards against unreasonable searches and requires that a warrant be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause.

“I think the officers unreasonably searched the vehicle and duffle bags,” Dix said. “The manipulation of and damage to the camera was, in my view, an unreasonable seizure.” Dix also mentioned that opening the door would be reasonable if there was reason to believe a dangerous person was inside; however, nothing in the facts suggests this.”

Here is the video of one of the officers forcing the homeowner’s surveillance camera to turn.

This video shows a different officer rummaging through duffle bags and reading documents.

And, yet another video shows an officer knocking on the front door of the home and when no one answers, he proceeds to scour through the parked vehicle. It even appears that the officer read through some documents found in the vehicle.  

What do you think? Were the homeowners' Fourth Amendment rights violated, or do you think police had probable cause to do what they did?

While police officers probably feel that they had probable cause, thinking or assuming that the homeowner’s brother lived there, breaking the mounting on a surveillance camera, rummaging through bags and exploring the vehicle without permission seems to violate the homeowners’ Fourth Amendment rights.

(Source: http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/03/did-garland-police-officers-violated-homeowners-fourth-amendment-rights.html/)

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.