Vance Luther Boelter, the accused Minnesota shooter, was reportedly able to gain entry into the homes of two lawmakers by dressing and acting as a police officer.
According to an affidavit filed in federal court, Boelter, 57, wore a black tactical vest, carried a large flashlight and arrived in an SUV with a fake “POLICE” license plate and emergency lights. He knocked on the door and announced himself as police, the affidavit says.
Experts say it’s not hard to see why, caught unaware in the middle the night, someone might have opened the door in this situation. But there are some precautions you can take to verify the legitimacy of a police office and police visit.
Here’s what to know about your rights if police — or someone claiming to be police — comes knocking at your door.
What happened in the Minnesota shooting?
According to police, Boelter dressed as a law enforcement officer and fatally shot state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home In the early morning hours of June 14. He also shot and wounded State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their home, authorities said.
After a two-day manhunt, police arrested Boelter on June 15 in connection with shootings.
Boelter reportedly attended the now-defunct Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee for his master’s and doctorate. He also worked at Johnsonville and owned a home in Sheboygan County in the early 2000s.
How to identify a police officer
All Milwaukee police officers are required to carry either a cloth or metal badge, according to the Milwaukee Police Department uniform policy.
You can ask to see the badge of a police officer if they approach you. Per city policy, members of the police department must provide their name, rank and badge number to any person who may request it — unless they are assigned to a duty at the time where their identify must be kept confidential.
Do you have to let police into your home if they knock?
If a police officer knocks on your door, you do not have to let them in unless they have a warrant that either lists your address as a place to search or that lists your name on an arrest warrant. The warrant must be signed by a judicial officer.
You can ask the officer to slip the warrant under the door or hold it up to the window, according to the American Civil Liberties Union Wisconsin. Note that while officers can enter your home if they have a search warrant for the address, they can only search for the items listed and in the areas mentioned in the warrant.
“Even if officers have a warrant, you have the right to remain silent,” the ACLU adds. “You should not answer questions or speak to the officers while they are in your house conducting their search. Stand silently and observe what they do, where they go, and what they take. Write down everything you observed as soon as you can.”
In Wisconsin, police must knock and announce they are executing a search warrant before entering a home. However, after completing those steps, state law says “all necessary force may be used to execute a search warrant or to effect any entry into any building or property or part thereof to execute a search warrant.”
Statewide, Wisconsin allows no-knock warrants in certain cases, allowing officers to enter a home without announcing intent. However, the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission banned no-knock warrants in 2021 — a policy change that local activists had been calling for since Louisville, Kentucky resident Breonna Taylor was killed in her home by police in 2020.
How to know if a police visit is legitimate
You can ask for the name of the police officer and ask to see the search or arrest warrant to determine if a police visit is legitimate.
Following the Minnesota shootings, local police officers also advised residents call 911 to verify a police visit if someone shows up at their home claiming to be police. The MPD can be reached by calling 911 or calling (414) 933-4444 in non-emergency situations.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Do you have to open your door for police in Wisconsin? What to know after the Minnesota shooting
Reporting by Maia Pandey, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
