Opinion ID: 181046
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Warminster Conducts the Surround and Call Out Operation

Text: On the morning of May 13, 2006, Warminster conducted a surround and call out operation at the home of Santiago, a sixty-year-old resident of Warminster. The purpose of the operation was to apprehend Steve Miranda, one of Santiago's grandsons. [2] The operation was carried out by the members of Alpha Team, a unit of the Central Bucks Special Response Team (CBSRT). The CBSRT is a multi-jurisdictional police agency consisting of officers representing eighteen municipalities, including Warminster. The members of Alpha Team were Detective Wayne Jones and Officers Jon Ogborn, Frederick Kutzer, and Tim Murphy. While only Officer Kutzer was employed directly by Warminster, all outside personnel and equipment were placed under the temporary control of Warminster for purposes of the May 13th operation. At the commencement of the operation, the occupants of Santiago's home were awakened by police using a public address system. Santiago and her daughter, Gloria Cotte, looked through a window to see an armored vehicle and officers wearing combat uniforms and carrying automatic weapons. Upon seeing Cotte looking through the window, one of the officers asked her who else was in the house, to which she responded just my family ... this is the Santiago family. (Third Am. Compl. at ¶ 35.) The officer then ordered everyone to exit the house one at a time. Santiago was the first to come out and was commanded, at gun point, to raise her hands and walk toward the officers. When she did not raise her hands as high as an officer wanted, she was ordered to raise them higher or else be shot. When Santiago reached the officers, Officer Ogborn conducted a pat down search, which revealed no weapons but, humiliating though it was for Santiago, included touching her breasts and crotch. He then restrained her hands behind her back with a plastic zip-tie and seated her on the ground next to the police vehicle. Santiago was frightened and complained of chest pain. After Santiago left the house, she was followed by Steve Miranda and Jonathan Miranda (her two grandsons), Herminia Miranda (her granddaughter), and Cotte (her daughter). Her two grandsons were patted down, handcuffed, and seated on the ground near Santiago. Her daughter and granddaughter were patted down but not handcuffed or seated. Even after the police had arrested Steve Mirandathe only occupant for whom they had a warrantSantiago remained seated and restrained. The officers instructed her and Cotte to sign a consent form allowing a search of the home. Santiago, who speaks no English and cannot read or write, did not sign and, of course, could not have unless they unbound her hands. Cotte, who later said she felt coerced, did sign. Santiago sat with her hands tied for approximately thirty minutes as her home was searched. Throughout that time, she was unable to interfere, was not a flight risk, and presented no danger. She continued to complain of pain and eventually told Jonathan Miranda that she felt pain in her heart. Jonathan Miranda told the officers that his grandmother was having a heart attack, and an ambulance was summoned to take her to the hospital.