What does it take for police to get a search warrant?

[IronFist]

I've been a little nervous lately cause we have a few cops and drug squad agents that work out in my gym and I've heard through the grapevine that my name has come up and they may be looking at me...It probably pretty obvious to most people, i bench 405 for about 8 reps and my partner gets 365 for a good 6...Can they get a warrant just cause we fit the frofile? What about if they hear mention of someone using juice? Is that enough for a warrant? I was under the impression that they needed some serious reasons to exectute a search warrant...It's gonna piss me off if they raid my house and take my next cycle away just cause I look like I use juice...damn small town...Any advice from those who know would be greatly appreciated...

 

[acneman]

gotta convince a judge that there is a great likelyhood of a crime being commited or going to be commited

even if someone says

i went to his house and he had 100,000 dollars worth of gear

need some kind of evidence

for instance if a snitch makes a controled buy from your home that would be enough cause they got the juice they got the witnesses(cops and snitch) and they got evidence of a crime(the sale)

dont worry if being big was a crime well uh well uh

well im safe anyway

 

[IronFist]

They definately won't get a controlled buy out of me, but I still don't know where that leaves me....i look like a juicer and so do about 4 of the guys that I hang with...I hope that's not enough...

 

[acneman]

its definately not

 

[ironmaster]

A search warrant requires what is called "Probable Cause" in LE circles. This is a deliberately vague term. Officers are required to ask a judge for the warrant and base it on their own affidavit wherein they swear to have information sufficient to believe that a crime has been or will be committed, and that the evidence is likely to be unavailable by other means. Must also specify night or daytime execution. More urgent stuff is required to get a night time warrant.
And yes, just the "word" of a third party is enough, esp. in a small town. If the affidavit states that an informant who has been reliable in the past is the source, this is usually enough.
So a snitch trying to save his own ass on other charges will often say anything johnny law wants him to say.
Now is a real good time to evaluate how discrete we are in what we do.
Anyone seen the new FBI regs? Wow! Secret searches of homes without warrants while the residents are out...say to dinner. Warrantless computer espionage.......yes, it's aimed at terrorists, but once these things are passed, they never go away.
I know this shit from personal experience, btw.

 

[acneman]

ironmaster you changed what i said a little
the trusted snitch ?

they dont trust those guys and no snitch is reliable

but still i dont think a snitch alone is gonna be good for a search warrant

but any way

probable cause referrs to warrantless searches like pulling someone over and searching thier car

probable cause, visble drugs a k9 hit stuff like that

if a snitch saying something was good then a lot of controlled buys and such would not be happnin

where are the legal experts at 4 in the morning

 

[therookie]

An officer must present sworn evidence to a judge that a crime has occurred and that the police have probable cause to believe that the crime was committed by the person they want to arrest. If the judge agrees, he/she will issue a warrant. The police are then entitled to seize the person wherever they can find him.

Thats The facts mam nothing but the facts

 

[ironmaster]

You didn't read the last line of my reply. This is exactly what happened, and the cops were not even required to name the snitch, because he was a "confidential informant".
I have another search warrant sitting here in front of me, issued by a judge, to search the motor vehicle of a high school student (for pot) that was parked on the street........... based on a teacher's statement that the student owned a certain vehicle, came to class late from lunch, smelled like "smoke" and appeared glassy eyed!!! Needless to say, this case was thrown out, BUT, it didn't stop them from obtaining the warrant........which was the question asked.

 

[Wisea$$]

Search Warrant

I agree with you about what defines a search warrant, but I think he's asking what kind of evidence they (the police) need to obtain the warrant.

#1 If you throw away your trash and it contains needles or empty vials, pill containers etc. and the police go through your trash. They can obtain a warrant.

#2 If one of your friends, associates or whatever rat you out. They may be able to obtain a warrant. (confidential informant) It can't just be someone who is trying to slander you. The police will make sure the person is trustworthy and has exclusive knowledge of your crimes.

#3 The police may do surveillance on your house, work or whatever. They will watch where you go and who you visit. If you get your stuff from hand to hand buys. That could lead to an eventual search warrant.

 

[centurian]

Ironmaster is on the money and probable cause is needed to justify a search warrant and yes the word of a rat is good enough. The reason for the controlled buys is in some jurisdictions that can be used to charge you with sale which is a more serious charge as opposed to possesion.