University of Louisville ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository Electronic Theses and Dissertations 5-2015 Knocking on the door : police decision points in executing search warrants. Brian Patrick Schaefer University of Louisville Follow this and additional works at: http://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd Part of the Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons Recommended Citation Schaefer, Brian Patrick, "Knocking on the door : police decision points in executing search warrants." (2015). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2095. http://dx.doi.org/10.18297/etd/2095 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ThinkIR: The nivU ersity of Louisville's Institutional Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ThinkIR: The nivU ersity of Louisville's Institutional Repository. 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KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: POLICE DECISION POINTS IN EXECUTING SEARCH WARRANTS By Brian Patrick Schaefer B.S., McKendree University, 2007 M.S., Eastern Kentucky University, 2009 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Louisville in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Justice Administration Department of Justice Administration University of Louisville Louisville, Kentucky May 2015 Copyright 2015 by Brian Patrick Schaefer All Rights Reserved KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: POLICE DECISION POINTS IN EXECUTING SEARCH WARRANTS By Brian Patrick Schaefer B.S., McKendree University, 2007 M.S., Eastern Kentucky University, 2009 A Dissertation Approved on February 24, 2015 by the following Dissertation Committee: Thomas Hughes, J.D., Ph.D., Department of Justice Administration, Chair Deborah Keeling, Ph.D., Department of Justice Administration, Committee Member Richard Tewksbury, Ph.D., Department of Justice Administration, Committee Member Victor Kappeler, Ph.D., School of Justice Studies, Committee Member ii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my wife Ms. Ashley Schaefer Who has supported and encouraged me through this long journey. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all of the detectives, administrators, and staff members at Bourbonville Police Department for their assistance in this project and for volunteering as participants in the study. The information and support received from these individuals made this project possible and enjoyable. My sincerest appreciation goes to Thomas Hughes. He provided me extensive support and encouragement throughout the project. He has been a tremendous mentor and always knows how to push me further. I would also like to thank my committee members, Deborah Keeling, Richard Tewksbury, and Victor Kappeler. Each of you contributed critical insight in to the study and the final product would be lessened without your contributions. A special thanks also goes out to Peter Kraska, William King, Jurg Gurber, and Dennis Longmire for encouraging me to continue with my education. Last I would like to thank my family and friends who have supported me throughout my educational journey. To my parents whom have always encouraged me in all my endeavors. Your love and support has made the journey feasible. Finally, to my wife Ashley, I thank you for your patience, cooperation, and support throughout my life as a graduate student. You were always patient when I was stressed, and encouraging when I expressed doubts. You are the biggest reason I was able to complete my degree. iv ABSTRACT KNOCKING AT THE DOOR: POLICE DECISION POINTS IN EXECUTING SEARCH WARRANTS Brian Patrick Schaefer February 23, 2015 Research indicates that search warrants raids increased during the 1990s and continue to be a common enforcement tool for law enforcement. The extant literature does not provide a detailed understanding of why police departments are increasingly using search warrants and in particular why plainclothes detectives are conducting these raids at a higher rate. Furthermore, the research does not provide an understanding for how search warrants are secured and executed by police departments. This research examines the social constructions detectives use to justify and carry out the various stages of the search warrant process. Ethnographic research was used to observe 73 search warrants over a 21 month period. The findings indicate there are five stages to the search warrant process: (1) when detectives seek warrants; (2) obtaining the warrant; (3) preparing for the warrant; (4) executing the warrant; and (5) measuring the warrant’s success. When examining the search warrant process as a whole, the research finds those detectives’ typifications of the need for search warrants rests on the officer safety and the need to secure evidence of criminal activity before it is destroyed. The research also shows the detectives’ emphasis v on safety is contradictory as the process detectives use to execute search warrant exposes the detectives to increased and often unnecessary risks. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE DEDICATION .....................................................................................................................v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. vi ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... vii TABLE OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ x INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1 Legal Doctrine of Search Warrants ..........................................................................6 The Police and the Law............................................................................................2 Outline......................................................................................................................8 LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................................20 Social Construction of Reality ...............................................................................20 Police Stop and Search Decisions ..........................................................................26 METHODS ........................................................................................................................41 Bourbonville ..........................................................................................................41 Bourbonville Police Department ............................................................................42 The Units under Study ...........................................................................................42 Ethnography ...........................................................................................................44 Access, Rapport, and the Researcher’s Role .........................................................47 Field Observations .................................................................................................53 Validity ..................................................................................................................54 Ethics......................................................................................................................57 Data Analysis .........................................................................................................60 Summary ................................................................................................................64 STARTING THE WARRANT ..........................................................................................66 Proactive Patrols ....................................................................................................71 Confidential Informants .........................................................................................82 Citizen Complaints.................................................................................................85 vii Patrol Officers ........................................................................................................87 Summary ...............................................................................................................88 SECURING THE WARRANT..........................................................................................90 Securing Probable Cause .......................................................................................90 Writing the Warrant ...............................................................................................95 Getting the Warrant Signed .................................................................................104 Summary ..............................................................................................................106 PREPARING FOR THE RAID .......................................................................................109 Personnel ..............................................................................................................109 Pre-Warrant Execution Surveillance ....................................................................113 Briefing the Warrant ............................................................................................118