Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputies Illegally Enter My Property
The date Sunday 8-7-2011 11:05 PM. Two sheriff deputies jumped the locked gate of my small condo in Sacramento County CA. and started pounding on my door. We live in a high crime neighborhood so we don’t look through the peep hole. My wife alerted me to the intruder of our private locked garden. I unlocked my gun safe and removed a Remington model 870 shotgun, the magazine was loaded with double 00 buck, and the chamber was empty. A high powered flashlight is mounted under the barrel. I went to the bedroom adjacent to our garden turned off the lights turned on the flashlight and slightly opened the curtain, blinding the intruder. I immediately saw the sheriff uniform and lowered my weapon and put it aside. I went to the door opened the door and went outside to ask why the deputies crossed over the locked gate and threshold, un-announced, and in violation of their standing orders and my constitutional they became very agitated. They stated that they didn’t know what my Condo number is however; it is clearly marked, including another sign to not open the door because the alarm will go off. I demanded a reason for crossing my locked threshold without a warrant. They further said they were looking for another apartment because an elderly lady complained that her air conditioning was not working. They said they didn’t need a warrant and asked if I was armed and I said yes. They started to question me but I ordered them off my property, reluctantly and extremely angry they did leave. I know that they understood that they had violated my constitutional right of unreasonable search and seizure, and violating the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department standing orders to announce “Sheriffs Dept.” when crossing a locked threshold. I fear they will return and attempt entry into my property. I am a retired Sacramento County Building inspector and a law abiding citizen with no criminal history I do not drink or take drugs, I have nothing illegal in my house. My guns are all legally registered, to me and/or my wife. I am however critical of the police on blogs and comments to the local paper the Sacramento Bee. I am also involved in a corruption lawsuit against the County. Either of these issues or both could have brought the deputies to my door in an effort to intimidate me. I am writing this to make a report in the event the Sheriff’s Department chooses to elevate this illegal entry issue.
– Jack Nichols
