Earlier this morning, I read two articles that came through my feed; updates on the sagas two members of the community are dealing with when it comes to CPS. If you've been watching 
I found myself placing the following comment on each of these articles because it was so appropriate. 
Print this out and memorize it:
- Check to see who is at the door through the curtain. If it is not law enforcement, someone you know (and want to talk to), and or weren't expecting, close the curtain and DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR. DO NOT SPEAK TO THEM.
If you do not acknowledge who you are or even open the door, they cannot claim they positively identified you or that you were even home. In the US, there is some sort of implied legality change that happens the second you open the door and or the second you positively identify yourself. This two things alone could be the dominoes that start the rest to fall.
If you don't open the door and don't even speak to them, you've done neither. All they can say is that they came to the residence, knocked on the door, someone looked at them through the curtain and then they were ignored. They cannot say they received positive identification out of you. They cannot say they were invited into the home.
- If you feel you must open the door - AT ALL TIMES, (no matter the weather), open the door, step out onto the front porch in as little space as possible getting through the door (so they cannot see in as much) and CLOSE THE DOOR BEHIND YOU.
Be careful that the door is NOT locked before you do this (so you don't accidentally lock yourself out). You can even go as far as making sure that what can be seen through your front door is NOT incriminating or provides any sort of tell-tale indicators of any kind. I do.
Other posters in the comments also discussed hanging up a curtain behind the front door that can be used to hide the inside from the outside. Others mentioned a screen of some kind. These are two items, I DO NOT have on my front door, but now will consider doing. (See how awesome sharing our knowledge is?)
- If they identify themselves as CPS (etc), NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY TO YOU, repeat the following phrase: "Please show me your properly executed warrant or court order. Without one you need to leave." (Optional: hold cell phone out): This is being recorded.
It doesn't matter what they say to you, what questions they ask of you, etc...DO NOT SAY anything to them outside of this.
Example:
THEM: Are you so and so?
YOU: "Please provide your properly executed....."
THEM: "Are you and so and so?"
YOU: "Please provide your....."
THEM: "May we come inside?"
YOU: "Please provide your....."
THEM: "We're concerned about the children."
YOU: "Please provide your..."
THEM: "We can show that you're not cooperating with us by not letting us in."
YOU: (arch your eyebrow and squint your eyes and or grit your teeth and or cock your head to the side): "Please provide your...."
Do this as long as it takes for them to leave. Record it on your cell phone if you must right there in front of them. They are on your property and you have a right to record them on your property! Are video cameras pointed at the front door any different? NOPE.
It's worth mentioning right here that you must notice, "...properly...". In every jurisdiction, what is considered to be "properly" executed is different. It's worth it's weight in gold for you to look this up. Get familiar with what they look like.
- Are they signed off in the proper places?
- Did the person with proper authority do the signing?
- Is it a "wet-ink" signature or a copy? Does that matter in your jurisdiction?
- Was it properly served? In some places, only certain people are allowed to serve it to you.
- Does it clearly identify all parties?
It's also worth noting: YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO A COPY FOR YOUR RECORDS. Did they bring you a copy?
Tips
Leave your curtains closed in the front (and or the back if they can just walk around to the back). You don't have a right to privacy in your home if they can peek in your windows, whether on your property or standing on the sidewalk or from the road. Anything they can see inside your home is fair game to be used against you at that point. This SUCKS but it's saved my bacon MORE THAN ONCE!
Learn to stop opening the door all the time. You aren't obligated to. This has also saved my bacon MORE THAN ONCE! (It DOES feel weird when you do it. You DO worry you're turning into a paranoid, (fill in the blank) bee-ah-ch, but that feeling passes. I promise.
Role-play the above scenario with friends or family until you get comfortable, opening the door with as small as space as possible and closing it behind you while standing on the front porch. Even do it with the cell phone and let the first words be out of your mouth, "You're being recorded. If you don't consent to this, you need to leave."
I'm thankful I haven't had to deal with someone this severe in awhile. Practice now, before you really need it.
Edit: Image Source: Pixabay