Pensacola cops force their way into church service...

http://www.copblock.org/138469/pensacola-police-force-their-way-into-church-service-over-custody-issue/

The Pensacola Police Department is coming under national scrutiny over the actions of one of their officers. Cellphone and body cam footage shows Officer Meghan Darling entering a Pensacola church over a custody dispute.

The pastor, along with several members of the congregation, told the cop that she didn’t have a warrant to enter the church, and urged her to wait until services were over. However, the narrow-minded cop didn’t let logic, reason, or even commonsense stop her from carrying out her duties, at least until the sacred service was over.

Officer Meghan Darling claimed she had a custody order from a judge, or at least that is what she said as she bullied her way around the church. However, a custody order is NOT a search warrant. Realizing that mistake, the chief stated that Officer Darling was within her rights, claiming that churches are public spaces, therefore the pastor couldn’t order her off the private property.

A family court order may have a body writ, but it does not have an order authorizing police to conduct a search. The problem is that unless the church had a restriction on entry, like a sign saying members only, the general perception is that a church is open to the public. Once the police officer found the child, he had authority to take the child pursuant to the custody order.

I think that perhaps the officer used terrible discretion when asked to leave and get a warrant. She simply had to wait to the service was over.