Law enforcement officials are given the difficult task of preventing and solving crimes. They are given great power to carry out their duties, but they are restrained in the scope of their authority by the Constitution. There are certain things that police officers simply cannot do when conducting a criminal investigation. These issues came into play during a case that involved a house party raid, charges of underage drinking and alleged political intrigue.

In 2007, an Ohio family hosted a double birthday party. A father was turning 52 and his son 21. A number of guests were at the house, including an 18-year-old man. He was drinking alcohol, but his father was also at the party, which made his consumption legal under Ohio law. A police lieutenant had heard of the party and went to the house to break it up.

When he arrived at the property, however, he could not see anything illegal there that would allow him to set foot on the premises. The Constitution rightly restrained his activity. But then a person called the police. The caller was supposedly a neighbor complaining about the noise. The homeowners thought this was odd because they live far away from their neighbors.

According to the allegations in the case, an anonymous letter later revealed that the phone call did not come from a neighbor, but rather from a police officer's wife. She called the police at the prompting of another officer so that police would have cause to enter the property. It was also alleged that the lieutenant engaged in the raid to gain the favor of a former police academy commander who was running for trustee. That man allegedly disliked the family and alerted the lieutenant that the family would be having a party that night.

The family and the 18-year-old man sued the police department, stating that their constitutional rights had been violated by the raid. The judge in the case determined that the police violated the young man's federal right against false arrest. The family has sought monetary and punitive damages.

In every criminal case, the Constitution gives rights to the accused, and it is important that they exercise them.

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer, "Jury goes to work in party raid case," Janice Morse, Jan. 26, 2012.