The Lexington City Council has voted to move forward a ban on no-knock search warrants. The nine-to-six vote to place the item on the docket for a subsequent meeting came after a lengthy discussion.
Vice Mayor Steve Kay said Lexington has a good police force led by a good chief. But Kay said it’s a difficult issue when talking about the black community and how it sometimes relates to police. “My sense is that the no-knock represents to many people in the black community a threat, a continuation in the way that they have been at the wrong end of police enforcement,” said Kay.
The ordinance spells out that absent circumstances where danger is imminent, officers must wait a reasonable amount of time after knocking and announcing before entering the premises. A group of black pastors reiterated a call for at least a 15 second time period before entering. C.B. Aikens said the current ordinance is too flexible related to timing. “That’s to be determined, but it’s got to be something. Look at your watch. You can measure 15. You can measure 30. You can’t measure reasonable on your watch. It’s not there. So, it’s too much subjectivity that’s left open,” said Aikens
Pastor Clark Williams noted it’s important to continue to press the issue to ensure voices of those who have called for police reform over the last year are heard.
Police Chief Lawrence Weathers spoke passionately about what he feels is the importance of retaining the no-knock search warrant option. Weathers told council it’s a rare tool which can be used to lessen danger. “Now if you want to take those tools away from me, that puts me closer and closer to using deadly force. I do not want to do that. My officers do not want to do that” explained Weathers.
Councilman Fred Brown was among the six members voting no. He said morale in the police department is at an all-time low with officers not feeling supported by the community. The no-knock warrant ban ordinance is expected to get a final vote later this month.
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