- Joined
- Jul 7, 2020
So it's 7 section 1983 claims, which is a cause of action that allows Patrick to get money (if he wins or settles). I just don't see how there's a basis for saying the police are violating his Fourth Amendment rights by responding to 911 calls about someone who has threatened to kill a pregnant woman and who is armed. It's always possible that new law gets created saying that when police know a person is a target of swatting, they have to incorporate that into their consideration of whether there is an exigency allowing bypass of a warrant or a determination of probable cause.
The policy problem on the other end, though, is that someone who is a swatting target could actually require emergency police services. If someone got into Patrick's house for real with a weapon, would Patrick accept the counterfactual scenario where police don't respond or demand entry after receiving a call that there's a guy with a deadly weapon making threats?
I just don't feel like a federal court under jurisprudence that is quite tolerating of police decisionmaking will decide that police are violating the Fourth Amendment by responding to emergency calls. Though I bet now that the police are being sued for a bunch of money, Patrick's gonna have a lot more trouble getting their help or assistance for anything.
The policy problem on the other end, though, is that someone who is a swatting target could actually require emergency police services. If someone got into Patrick's house for real with a weapon, would Patrick accept the counterfactual scenario where police don't respond or demand entry after receiving a call that there's a guy with a deadly weapon making threats?
I just don't feel like a federal court under jurisprudence that is quite tolerating of police decisionmaking will decide that police are violating the Fourth Amendment by responding to emergency calls. Though I bet now that the police are being sued for a bunch of money, Patrick's gonna have a lot more trouble getting their help or assistance for anything.