OOPS, AGAIN

Bad raids are old story in drug war

It's not every day that a city's authorities carry out a raid on one of
their own elected leaders.

Which makes it all the more embarrassing when the raid comes up empty.

Such was the case recently at the private offices of Denver City
Councilwoman Debbie Ortega, where the Metro Gang Task Force, a joint effort
by Denver and Aurora police, paid an unexpected visit Officers conduct big
the "no-knock" raid had a warrant to search for ille-gal drugs and a
vehicle that may have been used to trans-part them. It found nothing of the
sort. Now Denver Police Chief Dave Michaud is apologizing to Ortega and the
task force is paying for damage to the offices. Such raids gone wrong are
getting to be a staple of out society's War on drugs.

Sometimes, as in Ortega's case, someone's reputation is tarnished.

Sometimes it's much worse: It's not only the wrong address, but the
innocent occupants axe roughed up, even killed in the commotion and confusion.

Michaud, in a letter to Ortega, has assured her police have no information
suggesting her involvement in any crime. Of course, it's a bit late for
that, now.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski