Civil Liberties lawyers today joined the chorus of concern over isolating a neighborhood and restricting the movements of residents in the name of searching for a cop killer.
“We are also troubled by reports that some persons entering or leaving the area have been subject to pat down searches, and that non-residents have been barred from entering the area,” said senior staff attorney David Rocah in a statement today.
“While the search for a killer is, of course, a high priority for the police, the limits on lawful police behavior do not disappear even when engaged in that pursuit,” Rocah added.
He said that at least one federal appellate court has said that a similar police cordon and checkpoint system was unconstitutional.
“The residents of Baltimore and, in particular, the residents of the affected community deserve a clear explanation from the city as to why this unprecedented action has been taken, what rules are being enforced, and why it is lawful,” Rocah wrote.
“The need to secure a crime scene from contamination to preserve evidence does not, on its face, explain the wide area to which access has been restricted for days after the incident.” {read}