KBIA Local
(2010-05-06)
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COLUMBIA, MO
(KBIA) -
A video released featuring a recent drug bust in Columbia has led to a public controversy. The arrest incident has also led the Columbia police department to change some of its policies. KBIA's Maureen McCollum reports.
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A police video showed up on the internet recently that has upset some people. The video shows a SWAT team delivering a warrant to a Columbia home on a February evening. The police forcefully enter after no one answers the door.
Although you can't see it, a shot is fired, which injures a small dog. Seconds later, three more shots are fired, which kills a pit bull. The video also shows the suspect's wife and young son file past police while the suspect is handcuffed, lying on the ground.
This video has received more than 200,000 views on YouTube and has stirred up debate online as to whether police behaved appropriately.
Columbia Police Chief Ken Burton says the police were tipped off that the suspect, Jonathan Whitworth, was distributing large amounts of marijuana. Burton says a SWAT team was sent to the house because of Whitworth's offense history. Police reportedly found a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Whitworth has since pled guilty to drug paraphernalia possession.
The incident has sparked two changes in policy. Burton says the department will run similar warrants immediately now. When a warrant is issued in Missouri, police have ten days to serve it. In this case, the warrant was served eight days later.
"And we expected to find more, after eight days I'm frankly not surprised we didn't. And that's why we've changed our protocols."
Whitworth's attorney Jeff Hillbrenner says there was no evidence in the home that indicated Whitworth is a drug dealer.
"So to still today insist that Mr. Whitworth is a drug dealer is inconsistent with any facts presented in this case."
Columbia does not have a full-time SWAT team and Burton says this is why it took eight days to assemble one. The chief is also now requiring police to have a house under surveillance until the warrant is run.
"And that will give us the ability to find out who's come and gone, if there are dogs there, if there are children there, those kind of things. That kind of intelligence will help us avoid getting into a situation we don't want to be in."
Attorney Hillbrenner says having a full-time SWAT team is not the answer.
"I'm hopeful that local law enforcement will look at this and find better ways to execute valid search warrants. I don't think doing more of this is the answer, having a full-time SWAT team who can bust in to homes all the time is the answer or the appropriate response in all situations where a search warrant needs to be executed."
Burton says this is also the first case where he had internal affairs investigate the dog shooting. Columbia's SWAT team does not have a policy on how to deal with animals. The investigation determined that it was not a mistake to shoot the pit bull. The dogs were at the door as the police entered and police considered the pit bull a threat.
Burton will not release the names of officers involved. He says the department has received death threats directed to the officers from all over the world. Most of them have to do with the dog shooting.
The police investigation of the incident is ongoing. Burton says he has to interview one more officer involved. Hillbrenner says Whitworth's family is considering all options in going forward regarding the incident. At this point, they're figuring how to deal with their son.
The video can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbwSwvUaRqc&feature=player_embedded
WARNING: Video contains obscene language and disturbing audio
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