Birmingham Police Revise Policies To Disallow No-Knock Warrants
Birmingham police will no longer use no-knock warrants such as the one that led to the death of Breonna Taylor in Louisville last year.
Mayor Randall L. Woodfin, Police Chief Patrick Smith and Thomas Beavers, senior pastor of The Star Church, announced that and several other revisions to police policies and procedures during an event Tuesday. The revisions are part of an ongoing review of police procedures begun because of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Changes to the BPD’s search warrant application and service policy include language stating that the department does not authorize no-knock search warrants, according to a statement released by Woodfin’s office. With a no-knock warrant, police may enter a home or other location without announcing themselves first.
The changes were designed to centralize search warrants and to create a process to ensure those who secure the warrant provide the information needed by those who serve the warrant, according to the statement. The new policy also requires a risk assessment before a warrant can be served. It disallows devices such as “flash bangs” unless the risk assessment specifies their use or extreme circumstances call for their use. And it calls for a debriefing report from personnel involved within 48 hours of a warrant being served.
“This new process protects citizens, and it protects police,” Woodfin said in the statement.
“This has been an ongoing evolution of updating policy and procedure,” said Chief Smith. “We are going to work to reevaluate all of our policy to make sure we are implementing best practices in law enforcement while keeping the community safe and our officers safe.”
Beavers, who is part of a group of faith leaders who have met regularly with Smith about policing policies, praised the announcement.
“I have had the opportunity with various churches from throughout Birmingham to have a series of meetings with the police chief over the last six or seven months concerning police reform,” Beavers said. “We understand the power and historical capital we have in Birmingham in order to bring change especially in police reform.”
A dozen states sue the Trump administration to stop tariff policy
A dozen states have sued the Trump administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade to stop its tariff policy, challenging Trump's claim that he could arbitrarily impose tariffs based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Air pollution still plagues nearly half of Americans. That does a number on our health
Despite improvements in air quality in past decades, 156 million Americans still breathe in too much soot or ozone, says the annual State of the Air report from the American Lung Association.
Eli Lilly sues companies selling alternative versions of its weight loss drug
The drug company Eli Lilly is suing four telehealth companies for allegedly selling copies made by compounding pharmacies of its drug Zepbound.
After a scathing rebuke, judge grants DOJ an extension in deportation case
A federal judge gave the Trump administration another week to answer detailed questions about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man whose illegal deportation has raised concerns about due process.
Funding cut for landmark study of women’s health
The Women's Health Initiative, begun in the 1990s, has made many important discoveries. Now funding to collect more research data will end in September.
After Kashmir attack, India downgrades ties with Pakistan and suspends water treaty
The day after a deadly attack, India announced it was closing a border with Pakistan, downgrading its diplomatic ties and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan denies involvement in the attack.
