CPRB reviews wrong‑address raids, Columbia police describe checks, debriefs and risk process

At a meeting of the Citizens Police Review Board, members discussed police entries and seizures at the wrong address and reviewed how the Columbia Police Department seeks to prevent and respond to such incidents. Board Chair Doug Hunt laid out a high‑profile example discussed in court and asked the department about local policy, training and follow‑up.

Hunt described a wrongful‑address raid that he said was the subject of a U.S. Supreme Court case, Martin v. United States, and summarized the facts as presented to the board: agents executed a predawn raid on the wrong house, used a battering ram and a flashbang, and family members — including a 7‑year‑old — were confronted with rifles. Hunt said the household identified about $5,000 in physical damage and alleged psychological harm. "Searches and seizures at the wrong address," he said, "we are talking…