Police with locksmiths going door to door

[mtbazz]

http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/south_county/natural-gas-issue-affecting-1600-homes

WTF...First off it is a DISTRIBUTION problem, not a safety problem..

Who the hell do the cops think they are ??

If they find a grow would that prosecutable under these circumstances?

 

[paladin420]

They think the are God..and yes they would spin the story to prosecute any grower, or anyone not towin their party line..

 

[MadBuddhaAbuser]

If they find a grow would that prosecutable under these circumstances?

Yes it would be. That is a valid reason to be in someones home without their consent, and would be admissable in court.

Same as if they saw a fire, heard someone screaming, smelled weed, etc......

 

[MIway]

pretty sure what they can see in plain sight allows them to get a court ordered search warrant & then sieze evidence, which would stand up in court... to the best of my knowledge, it would fall under the 'community caretaker' role... they are responding to an 'emergency' for the public welfare which allows them to enter the home, then what they saw would qualify under exigent circumstances. not a lawyer, just had a conversation bout this & think that's how it would go down...?

 

[OjoRojo420]

A response from another person:

"After working in the utility industry for nearly 30 years I will say this... it is not uncommon for gas and electric meters to be located inside, usually in a basement but I have seen them in closets, cabinets and some really odd places. Secondly, when you sign up for service one of the things you agree to is to provide access to the meter when the company requires it thereby eliminating the need for a warrant to enter the premises. The policemen are there as a protection for all involved, the owner or tenant, the locksmith and the utility workers. I seriously doubt that the police officers are the ones turning off the mains, the police and firemen will be the first to tell you, they want nothing to do with those devices, that is the utility workers job, not theirs. Last, this is an emergency situation, they cannot turn the gas back on until they have turned it off to all customers affected. It is a simple matter of safety, the fact that there are meters inside means that these houses are probably older, older houses leads to older appliances and heaters manufactured before the electronic ignition was as commonly used as it is now."

Ojo

 

[Guest 18340]

http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/south_county/natural-gas-issue-affecting-1600-homes

WTF...First off it is a DISTRIBUTION problem, not a safety problem..

Who the hell do the cops think they are ??

If they find a grow would that prosecutable under these circumstances?

If they find an illegal grow...
Rhode Island is medical so as long as you have a valid card and aren't over plant limit then theirs nothing to prosecute you over.
The police are accompanying them so that no one turns around and says the utility worker or lock smith stole something.
But yeah, if they spot an illegal grow or even smell something then you're gonna get busted...

 

[Bobby Stainless]

Good reason to check where your meter is, as well as gas turn on, before you start a grow.

 

[sunshowers]

A response from another person:

"After working in the utility industry for nearly 30 years I will say this... it is not uncommon for gas and electric meters to be located inside, usually in a basement but I have seen them in closets, cabinets and some really odd places. Secondly, when you sign up for service one of the things you agree to is to provide access to the meter when the company requires it thereby eliminating the need for a warrant to enter the premises. The policemen are there as a protection for all involved, the owner or tenant, the locksmith and the utility workers. I seriously doubt that the police officers are the ones turning off the mains, the police and firemen will be the first to tell you, they want nothing to do with those devices, that is the utility workers job, not theirs. Last, this is an emergency situation, they cannot turn the gas back on until they have turned it off to all customers affected. It is a simple matter of safety, the fact that there are meters inside means that these houses are probably older, older houses leads to older appliances and heaters manufactured before the electronic ignition was as commonly used as it is now."

Ojo

This ...
A gas leak can level an entire building in a split second.

 

[powerrobbie]

I dont see a reason to insult the cops in this situation. How is having no heat in the middle of winter not a safety problem, OP? Sure it would suck if you were doing something illegal but the cops are obviously just doing there job in an emeregency situation, because people grow weed families with small children should go without heat? Just goes to show growers need to be ready for anything....

 

[PoopyTeaBags]

Yes it would be. That is a valid reason to be in someones home without their consent, and would be admissable in court.

Same as if they saw a fire, heard someone screaming, smelled weed, etc......

i would argue it in court. They need something like a search warrant, be invited in, or have a urgent need someones in trouble. I do believe them are the only ways they can enter legally.


Working on natural gas may or may not be one of them if i lived there id be there and not let them in police or natural gas guy tell them to fuck off. If they arrest you in your house for telling them to leave then maybe its legal, my guess theyll have to leave.... if they leave then its illegal... at least thats the way i look at it. i dont think anyone should be able to enter a house without notice of a residence thats just bullshit....

 

[MadBuddhaAbuser]

i would argue it in court. They need something like a search warrant, be invited in, or have a urgent need someones in trouble. I do believe them are the only ways they can enter legally.


Working on natural gas may or may not be one of them if i lived there id be there and not let them in police or natural gas guy tell them to fuck off. If they arrest you in your house for telling them to leave then maybe its legal, my guess theyll have to leave.... if they leave then its illegal... at least thats the way i look at it. i dont think anyone should be able to enter a house without notice of a residence thats just bullshit....

It's worth an argeument in court, but unless you have an amazing lawyer it will probably stand up. I would imagine a nat gas problem would go to "the greater good of the community" and that would probably supercede your rights as a property owners.

It is some bullshit though.


from the article

If no one is home at the time, police officers along with a locksmith have been entering homes to shut the valves off.

So If you are home, you could probably just get away with the gas techs coming in.

 

[Kalicokitty]

here they come once every 3 years for the federally required inspection of the gas meter.
They let you know in advance that the date is coming up, and to call and schedule a time to have it done. If you don't call they come around knocking on your door with no prior notice, I don't know what happens if you keep blowing them off after that.

I just went through it this summer, so I'm good for three years now

 

[Mukind]

As long as they are there legally anything in plain view can be a charge. They couldn't for example. Open your grow tent or cabinets. Hell you could just drape a sheet over your plant.

My worry would be about the next day. Sounds like these pigs were busy. They right down your address and come back later to see what you're up too. Not good.

 

[YEM]

OOPSOOPS

 

[supermanlives]

all my meters are outside and the utility company has a key . cause they gave me the lock. but no one enters without knocking due to dogs.

 

[Abja Roots]

I had a run in with a cop yesterday. It was on a 2 lane road, and his car was parked in one of the lanes, with no flashers or emergency lights on. I couldn't even tell if anyone was in the car. There was a car in front of me which stopped and then went around him. So I pulled up and went to do the same. At that point he turned his car on and blocked the road, and proceeded to scream something out of the window. I put down my window and turned down my music. It boiled down to "You can't go against traffic etc.....". To which I wanted to respond "You can't park your car in the middle of the road". However I chose otherwise, and said my bad etc.....Then kept it moving. Serious power hungry illiterate monkeys. Worst part is that he's a black cop, oppressing other minorities. A peon of a system. An uncle tom if there ever was one. They do what they want. It wouldn't have taken much to have him drag me out of the car, and beat me. There's nothing to stop them.