An anti-drug unit from South Carolina is facing some harsh criticism over allegations that they routinely engage in violating the Fourth Amendment rights of the people in the state. The anti-drug unit is accused of unjustly subjecting the people, as well as participating officers involved in controversial no-knock raids, to risks of injury and death with their actions.

One specific case that has helped to shed some light on the problems posed by this organization is that involving Julian Betton from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

More than a year ago, Betton had the drug enforcement unit (DEU) raid his home. The team that raided his home ended up shooting 29 bullets and 9 of them hit Betton. Because of the actions of that police team, Betton will never walk again and he now faces millions of dollars in medical bills. And it all supposedly happened because of a plant—evidence supporting the raid allegedly comprised of the testimony of a confidential informant who admitted to purchasing cannabis from Betton for roughly $100.

As the case has unfolded, there are allegations that the police have given reports that contain a myriad of falsehoods. One federal magistrate has issued a report condemning the actions of the anti-drug task force, suggesting that they have repeatedly made false statements. Not only that, but she also suggested that they have routinely violated the rights of the people in South Carolina.

Betton happened to have a video camera on his front porch, although it didn't have audio. However, the footage that is shown seems to contradict the stories that have been told about what happened that day. One police chief who has also seen the footage has suggested that it looks like the police didn't give proper announcement before they invaded the residence. A neighbor who had been walking on the sidewalk at the time that the raid took place, also says that he didn't hear any announcement. He also said that he couldn't readily identify that the men were in fact police officers. This is something you often hear from witnesses and victims who have been involved in no-knock raids.

The Least Confrontational Route

Rather than looking to charge into people's homes at all hours of the night, some critics have suggested that surely there are other ways that they could've gone about obtaining those who they had a warrant to detain. One officer who was present during the raid on Betton's home, who has since resigned from that anti-drug unit, admitted in a deposition that he felt the tactics employed by the DEU put the public and participating officers at greater risk.

He further stated that he believed the suspect could've been easily and peacefully apprehended in some other way.

The officers were required to knock and announce themselves, giving reasonable time for someone to answer their calls. But it's arguable as to whether or not that is what happened that day when they arrived. As a consequence of their actions that day, Betton has since sued the officers that raided his home and the various regions that they served. Now, officers from at least 2 of jurisdictions have already settled the legal fight with him, which awarded Betton more than $2.75 million in damages so far.

But the fight isn't over yet because he is still suing Myrtle Beach and an officer with the Myrtle Beach PD who was involved that day. The city of Myrtle Beach has already tried to have the suit dismissed, but it's thus far been allowed to move forward.

Was this a rare circumstance?

The DEU under scrutiny here allegedly doesn't have any official policy when it comes to serving search warrants. And this is important, because it's estimated that they engage in over 100+ drug raids every year. If they have no official policy guiding how they can legally go about doing their work, you could suspect that we might see some problems arise.

As well, from the testimony that officers gave at one point or another, it sounds as if they might be ignorant of what constitutes a legal no-knock raid. If that is the case, is this because they haven't been trained properly? Or are they well aware of what comprises a legal invasion of a suspects home, but they simply often choose to ignore the rules?

The SC anti-drug enforcement group that's involved in this case also happened to use a questionable emblem for the cover of their operational plan for the raid (see image below).

As the image above describes, most anti-drug warriors commonly feel as if they are serving the community with their work. "One dealer at a time".

But it doesn't serve the community when people are being harassed, having their homes invaded, being detained, or shot 9x times over a plant. Killing peaceful people in the community over concerns for a plant or any other drug, only makes the community less safe.

Is getting the city sued for millions within the best interest of the community?

It might be controversial to consider, but it could be argued that a drug dealer voluntarily serves the community by giving people who come to them what they need and are looking for. They are serving the community one customer at a time.

Despite the lawsuit from Betton, it's alleged that all of the officers involved were quickly cleared within a few months of any wrongdoing and to date none of them have been disciplined as a result of that raid.

Tens of thousands of no-knock raids take place every year around the country

In many circumstances when these anti-drug teams raid private residences, they end up engaging in violence that arguably could've been easily avoided.

The prevalence of these raids often result in unjust and horrendous injuries and as you can see, quite frequently they also result in very costly legal settlements as a consequence.

It's a costly battle, the war on drugs, that police agencies continue to keep up with, but it is a war that has been lost since the beginning and will never be won.

Pics:
Pixabay
Pixabay
via Washington Post

Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2018/05/31/a-south-carolina-anti-drug-police-unit-admitted-it-conducts-illegal-no-knock-raids/?utm_term=.3fa6274b49ec
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2018/03/27/man-shot-at-57-times-during-raid-over-100-pot-sale-gets-2-75-million-settlement/?utm_term=.f4c4211ff23f
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/man-paralyzed-in-drug-raid-in-myrtle-beach-settles-for/article_91bd7222-31c9-11e8-9f5b-1b8e56e70d41.html
https://herb.co/marijuana/news/julian-betton-shot-police
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/18/us/forced-entry-warrant-drug-raid.html
https://www.vox.com/2014/10/29/7083371/swat-no-knock-raids-police-killed-civilians-dangerous-work-drugs
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-deadly-war-on-drugs-waged-by-your-local-swat-team_us_58ce980de4b0e0d348b34497

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