Lawsuit filed against sheriff for SWAT team raid of Amish

[buckthesystem]

Well I guess we all know what a dangerous, radical religious extremist cult the Amish are, and the school ma'am was probably heavily armed and maybe had instructed the book monitors to "resist", so the police were only "keeping themselves safe".

http://www.tmz.com/2008/09/16/the-amish-ci...ights-movement/

A bunch of Amish people in Ohio could get a whole lot richer -- if the cops can't explain why they sent a SWAT team to storm a schoolhouse!

Amish residents of Bergholz, OH are suing the Jefferson County Sheriff's office for $35 mil, claiming they were deprived of their civil rights when a fully armed SWAT unit entered a schoolhouse with their automatic weapons drawn back in 2007.

In the suit, the Amish -- who almost all have the last name of Miller or Mullet -- claim the "paramilitary tactics" were authorized so the Sheriff's Dept. could pick up two children caught in the middle of what sounds like a pretty nasty custody fight. Obviously, the Amish, who don't use modern technology, claim they "suffered mental, bodily and physical distress" during the raid.

[Ovedya]

Let's try this again. Address the SUBJECT, please.

[Ovedya]

I just read the complaint posted on the TMZ website.

So here's what it amounts to: A bunch of police officers dressed in paramilitary uniforms surrounded the schoolhouse, the home of the parent whom the went there for, and a general store, and scared the Amish a little bit.

Was it overkill? Absolutely. The Sheriff's office should be embarrassed by their actions on this peaceful group.

However, no one was hurt, no one was manhandled at all. Just a bunch of guys with guns yelling and scaring the pants off a bunch of kids and their parents. I don't think that $35 million of the taxpayer's money is warranted in this case.

[Guest Biblicist]

In this instance, possibly, the police overreacted.

However, the Amish are not as peaceful and harmless as some would like to believe. They are humans, sinners, just like the rest of us.

Bucks, you forgot Yoder.

[buckthesystem]

In this instance, possibly, the police overreacted.

However, the Amish are not as peaceful and harmless as some would like to believe. They are humans, sinners, just like the rest of us.

Bucks, you forgot Yoder.

I don't get it!

Who is Yoder?

[buckthesystem]

I just read the complaint posted on the TMZ website.

So here's what it amounts to: A bunch of police officers dressed in paramilitary uniforms surrounded the schoolhouse, the home of the parent whom the went there for, and a general store, and scared the Amish a little bit.

Was it overkill? Absolutely. The Sheriff's office should be embarrassed by their actions on this peaceful group.

However, no one was hurt, no one was manhandled at all. Just a bunch of guys with guns yelling and scaring the pants off a bunch of kids and their parents. I don't think that $35 million of the taxpayer's money is warranted in this case.

OK Ovedya, I'll adress the SUBJECT!

You say: "A bunch of police officers dressed in paramilitary uniforms surrounded the schoolhouse, the home of the parent whom the went there for, and a general store, and scared the Amish a little bit".

It is fair to ask WHY these people felt the need to be "dressed in paramilitary uniforms" (and brandishing drawn weapons ready for instant use)! If they wanted to dress up and play soldiers there are companies that run "recreational weekends" - or what ever they're called - so people can do this. And I think that saying (they) "scared the Amish a little bit" is rather understating it. These kids in the schoolhouse must have been absolutely terrified.

Also you said: "The Sheriff's office should be embarrassed by their actions on this peaceful group". Well I think they should be rather more than just "embarrassed" by their actions, I reckon they should be personally accountable! After all you or I would be held accountable if we did something like this. We wouldn't expect the taxpayer to bail us out. Why do you think this "SWAT team" is so special that they should expect that?

As for "....... no one was hurt, no one was manhandled at all. Just a bunch of guys with guns yelling and scaring the pants off a bunch of kids and their parents". I think that what you should say is "no one was physically hurt!". I looked after a three year old not long ago who seemed a normal happy kid, but a policeman came round just to enquire about any possible sightings of an elderly man who was missing from going tramping in the bush and our house was near the beginning of the bush track. The child started screaming hysterically when he saw the policeman. I couldn't figure out why until his mother told me that he'd witnessed his father's younger brother being peppersprayed and beaten up by police and he associated the uniform with that memory. So some one doesn't have to be personally manhandled by to be psychologically traumatised. What view are these kids going to grow up with, of the police?

Now it comes to your statement about the taxpayer forking out $35million. I got the impression from the court papers that these Amish were suing the people involved in the incident, not the government. The government is unique in that they pay a debt with other peoples' money. Sure $35million is OTT, but there must be some accountability somewhere. This matter should not be just dropped and "oh gee, that's not good", until it happens again the same next time. Because you can "bet your bottom dollar" that it will happen again exactly like this.

[Axxman]

Since BTS has the habit of posting the most biased and vague version of stories...allow me to set the record straight.

The Sheriff had a legal court order to obtain custody of two children. The Sheriff escorted a child services detective to the Amish community to fulfill the court order. When the Amish found out that the Sheriff would be coming to take the two children they said they would shoot anybody that came to take the kids.

The Sheriff brought along a SWAT team, and some tactical equipment just in case things went bad. The Sheriff, by himself, escorted the child services detective to the schoolhouse. When he knocked on the door the school teacheer began screaming, "They're here! They're going to kill the kids!" The Sheriff tried to give the teacher the court order but she threw it down and secured herself into the schoolhouse with the children (who were now hysterical.)

The Sheriff called two SWAT members to join him at the schoolhouse for back-up and presumably to watch the rear exit. The Sheriff again announced his intention and threatened to arrest anyone who got in the way of his attempt to secure the children. One of the teachers then ran out of the schoolhouse with the kids and the kids ran with her to a nearby farmhouse. Police detained the second teacher.

The SWAT Team then surrounded the farmhouse and again the Sheriff ordered the release of the two children. A family member then released the two children into police custody. The Sheriff then released the teacher he had detained. No one was harmed thanks to the professionalism of the Sheriff and his well-trained SWAT Team.

I know BTS would prefer the Sheriff to show up alone in a Hawaiian shirt and loafers...and maybe the SWAT team could carry some flourescent orange water pistols...but thats not reality.

Police officers do what they do, wear what they wear, and carry the weapons they carry for ONE REASON ALONE.....so they can go home to their families at the end of their shift!!!

I personally am sick and tired of Worthy moderators allowing BTS to make unwarranted accusations, and promote anti-law enforcement, anti-gov't threads on a daily basis. Almost every thread that BTS starts is some kind of "the gov't is out to get you" conspiracy theory.

[Ovedya]

OK Ovedya, I'll adress the SUBJECT!

You say: "A bunch of police officers dressed in paramilitary uniforms surrounded the schoolhouse, the home of the parent whom the went there for, and a general store, and scared the Amish a little bit".

It is fair to ask WHY these people felt the need to be "dressed in paramilitary uniforms" (and brandishing drawn weapons ready for instant use)! If they wanted to dress up and play soldiers there are companies that run "recreational weekends" - or what ever they're called - so people can do this. And I think that saying (they) "scared the Amish a little bit" is rather understating it. These kids in the schoolhouse must have been absolutely terrified.

Absolutely terrified? Come now. Sure, a bunch of guys with guns is scary, but it's not anything those kids won't get over. In fact, by now I'm sure those kids are getting on with their regular lives.

Well I think they should be rather more than just "embarrassed" by their actions, I reckon they should be personally accountable! After all you or I would be held accountable if we did something like this. We wouldn't expect the taxpayer to bail us out. Why do you think this "SWAT team" is so special that they should expect that?

Personally accountable? These aren't a bunch of good old boys that just decided to get together to scare a bunch of Amish kids. These are persons who carried out their duties as they were charged. This is an issue of the sheriff's department, not each member of the team individually.

I think that what you should say is "no one was physically hurt!". I looked after a three year old not long ago who seemed a normal happy kid, but a policeman came round just to enquire about any possible sightings of an elderly man who was missing from going tramping in the bush and our house was near the beginning of the bush track. The child started screaming hysterically when he saw the policeman. I couldn't figure out why until his mother told me that he'd witnessed his father's younger brother being peppersprayed and beaten up by police and he associated the uniform with that memory. So some one doesn't have to be personally manhandled by to be psychologically traumatised. What view are these kids going to grow up with, of the police?

Are you seriously comparing a 3-year-old who witnessed an act of violence with elementary age kids who simply saw a bunch of guys with uniforms on with their guns drawn? The two don't equate in the least.

Now it comes to your statement about the taxpayer forking out $35million. I got the impression from the court papers that these Amish were suing the people involved in the incident, not the government. The government is unique in that they pay a debt with other peoples' money. Sure $35million is OTT, but there must be some accountability somewhere. This matter should not be just dropped and "oh gee, that's not good", until it happens again the same next time. Because you can "bet your bottom dollar" that it will happen again exactly like this.

No, actually they were suing the sheriff's department, which is a branch of the local court system. That is entirely run by state taxpayer money. I am not saying at all that the department should not suffer punishment from this action. The person's responsible should be penalized by a leave of absence without pay, possibly fired, and certainly the suit (Which is actually a tort action) should render a monetary decision sufficient to serve as a reminder. However, making the taxpayers fork out $35 million is overkill. A couple hundred thousand dollas? Fine. But $35 million is simply ridiculous. Besides, guess who would get at least 30% of a decision like that? The lawyers!

[Guest shiloh357]

I am also getting very sick of these anti-government anti-law enforcement articles.

Every person that wears the badge is somebody's son or daughter, somebody's wife or husband, somebody's mom or dad, and they put themselves in harm's way... for me. I can sleep in peace at night because of safety and security they provide.

I am sick of the ungrateful and disrespectful manner in which they are being treated on this board.

[Rick-Parker]

I am also getting very sick of these anti-government anti-law enforcement articles.

Every person that wears the badge is somebody's son or daughter, somebody's wife or husband, somebody's mom or dad, and they put themselves in harm's way... for me. I can sleep in peace at night because of safety and security they provide.

I am sick of the ungrateful and disrespectful manner in which they are being treated on this board.

Amen! They aren't being treated that way but for a couple. The vast majority are thankful that there are those out there willing and able to defend the innocent. As for those who do not appreciate them....Pfft.