Knoxville, TN asked in Civil Rights and Constitutional Law for Tennessee

Q: The Police wouldn’t arrest the burglar that tried to break in. Is that a violation of Equal Protection?

The Police quickly caught a burglar that tried to break into my apartment. The Officer said that burglar was homeless and likely had schizophrenia. He wouldn’t arrest, didn’t want to fill out a Police report and only wanted to take him across town and drop him off.

The same burglar was also peeping through my neighbors bathroom window while she was in the bathroom.

The Police department isn’t making it easy for me to turn in a Internal Affairs report either. They actually gave me the wrong return mailing address.

1 Lawyer Answer
Anthony M. Avery
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Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Knoxville, TN
  • Licensed in Tennessee

A: You can try to contact a Magistrate yourself by going through the General Sessions Court Clerk, but you probably do not have sufficient information. You can also complain to the Knox County District Attorney General, who might arrange for you and the LEO to swear out a Warrant. Hopefully you at least know the KPD Officer's name. And KPD Internal Affairs cannot be trusted.

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