The Death Of Amir Locke: Former MPD SWAT Commander Gives Perspective On High-Risk Warrant Procedure
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Over the last week, there have been public cries for change following the officer-involved shooting death of Amir Locke, and how lawmakers promise to change the policies.
Former Commander Scott Gerlicher, who oversaw the Minneapolis Police Department SWAT Team until last year, offers his perspective of what unfolded. He was the head of the Special Operations and Intelligence Division for the last decade of his 32 years with MPD.
The no-knock warrant the team executed at Bolero Flats is under intense scrutiny. Gerlicher calls the high-risk warrant team highly trained.
"They have specialized training skills and weaponry to handle very difficult and high-risk situations," Gerlicher said.
Gerlicher says before the warrant is executed, they do their research so they know the risks, and make a plan to keep officers and others safe.
"What or who are they looking for? Is it crimes of violence? Is it a situation where there's known to be weapons inside a residence? Violent people inside the residence?" Gerlicher said.
He says their job is to execute the warrant and secure the location to make way for investigators, adding the high-risk warrant team is prepared for anything that may come their way.
"It takes literally less than a second for an individual holding a gun to move it and shoot, and that's the sad reality of what we deal with as police officers every day out there," Gerlicher said.
Locke's family and thousands of protestors say this never should have happened, and they're calling for the SWAT officer who killed him to be arrested and prosecuted.
"I feel for the Locke family. No parent should have to, you know, go through the loss of a child. I also feel for the officers involved because that's the last thing any police officer wants to do is take a human life," Gerlicher said.
He has viewed the video released of the team going in. He believes the officers followed protocol.
"Once that blanket comes back, you have to think about what the officers know, again going into that, and the officers knew in this case they were going on a high-risk warrant for an armed murder suspect who had access to the apartment they were entering into. And the first individual they encounter is under a blanket, pulls off the blanket and is holding a pistol. What other choice would any officer have but to use deadly force in that particular scenario," Gerlicher said.
Gerlicher says the officers were operating within the training provided and policies of MPD. He does not think any officers should be criminally charged.
The Minnesota Attorney General's Office and Hennepin County Attorney's Office will review the case for charges.
On Thursday, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said the investigation is ongoing, and therefore the agency hasn't turned over the investigative file for review yet.
