Title
Ordinance supplementing the Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Title One -- Administrative, Article III - Organization, Chapter 116: Department of Public Safety, to add a new subsection, ? 116.17 - "Prohibition on the Execution of 'No-Knock' Warrants", by requiring all City police officers, when executing any warrant, to physically knock and announce the presence of police before entering a premises."
(Executive Session held 2/1/21)
Body
Whereas, warrants executed by police officers, which allow them to gain forcible entry without knocking on the door and announcing their identity and purpose are referred to as "no-knock" warrants; and,
Whereas, in Pennsylvania, and in many other jurisdictions, if a homeowner believes that someone has illegally entered their home with ill intent, an attack on the homeowner or their family is not necessary to justify the use of deadly force; and,
Whereas, allowing police officers to gain forcible entry into a premises without clearly announcing their identity and purpose where the occupants of said premises have no duty to retreat and are lawfully permitted to use deadly force to defend their families and properties can lead and have led to fatal interactions between police officers and citizens; and,
Whereas, in one instance, the police had obtained a no-knock search warrant and broke down the door of a 90-year old woman. When the police broke down her door she responded with gunfire. The police returned her fire and killed the woman. The police were acting on a tip that a man at that residence had previously sold drugs there. There was no evidence that the old woman had a man living at the house or had ever sold drugs; and,
Whereas, in New York City, undercover officers confronted a man who was attending his bachelor party before his scheduled wedding later in the day. They police claim they had heard someone in the mans group make a comment that they had a gun in their possession. The police killed the groom to be and,...
Click here for full text