670 A little over the top?: SWAT team launch dawn raid on family home to collect unpaid student loans By Daily Mail Reporter

In Barackie's Um-err-ick-AH, we come to expect such bull shit as this:

A father was dragged from his home and handcuffed in front of his children by a SWAT team looking for his estranged wife - to collect her unpaid student loans.

A stunned Kenneth Wright had his front door kicked in by the raiding party at 6 am yesterday before being dragged onto his front porch, handcuffed and led to a police car with his three children.

He says he was then detained for six hours while officers looked for his wife - who no longer lives at the house.

Mr Wright was later told by Stockton police that the order to send in the SWAT team came from The U.S. Department of Education who were looking for his estranged wife to collect defaulted loan payments.

Speaking to ABC News 10, a visibly shaken Mr Wright described what happened when he was woken by a banging on his front door.

He said: 'I look out of my window and I see 15 police officers.

Dressed in his boxer shorts, Mr Wright says he rushed downstairs and was about to open the door when it was kicked open.

An officer then grabbed him by the neck before dragging him out onto the front lawn.

His 3, 7, and 11-year-old children were also removed by officers and put in a waiting police car.

'He had his knee on my back and I had no idea why they were there,' Mr Wright said.

'They put me in handcuffs in that hot patrol car for six hours, traumatising my kids.'
Held: Mr Wright was grabbed by the neck and forced into a waiting police car

Held: Mr Wright was grabbed by the neck and forced into a waiting police car

Mr Wrights three children, who were also led to the car with him

Mr Wrights three children, who were also led to the car with him

The Department for Education refused to comment on the incident, saying they would not do so until the case was closed.

They did however confirm that their Office of the Inspector General had issued the search warrant.

The office has its own branch of federal agents that carry out search warrants and investigations.

Mr Wright is now trying to get compensation for the destroyed door.

Speaking to ABC, he demonstrated that although the door had been patched up, the handle no longer worked.

He said: 'They busted down my door for this.

'It wasn't even me.

'All I want is an apology for me and my kids and for them to get me a new door.'

He even had words of advice for anyone thinking of skipping paying their college bills.

He added: 'People who have student loans , pay your bills, take care of your credit.

'If you don't belive me, this could be you one morning 6 o'clock.'

Except that, first, it wasn't a SWAT Team. SWAT teams are armed tactical teams from the local police department; the local (Stockton, California) department sent exactly one officer in a patrol car. This was a team from the federal Office of Inspector General (no, not the Department of Education, which doesn't have any armed SWAT teams either). And they weren't there over unpaid student loans. They were there as part of a criminal investigation, usually with OIG that means a multi-million dollar fraud operation. The local press in Stockton has put out follow-up stories clarifying the initial shoddy reporting, but I guess its easier to just pull the first wire service story and run the sensational stuff. And nobody will read the follow up, so this fake story will live on for years.

A LITTLE over the top? Why doesn't the county sheriff DEMAND that any actions on federal warrants be run through him? It sounds to me like he is not doing his job and needs to be recalled.

- Joe, Springfield MO, 09/6/2011 07:22
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@Gabriel As a liberal, I would tell you there is no reason why the Dept of Education should have a SWAT team. But there is something else going on here. As I have had defaulted student loans for 15 years, I have never had my wages garnished nor had a SWAT team at my door. All I have ever gotten is nasty letters and a few rude phone calls. On a separate note, the Government has been involved in Education since WWII (or have you forgotten the G.I. Bill?) which created generations of college graduates who then proceeded to build this country. I think you are mistaking Corporatism for Big Government. Not everything is for profit. @Zjak It's a big leap to take that the Affordable Healthcare Act (i.e. Obamacare, for those who want to make it a dirty word) means police at your door. BUT, since the government is already listening to your phone calls and reading your email thanks to George W. Bush and you didn't/haven't complained about that, you really aren't concerned about a police state.

- Jeff Chapman, Springfield, MO, USA, 09/6/2011 06:09
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Just a reminder to the Republican scolds: it was the Republicans a few years ago who instituted these new draconian student loan laws and forbid filing bankruptcy or giving any leniency. Republicans are at the beck and call of the banks, who provide the money for the loans. The federal government is just working as the bank collector here.

- Sue, Phoenix, USA, 09/6/2011 05:24
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Since when is it a crime to fail to repay your student loans? Outrageous, he should sue them.

- Catherine, Chicago, 09/6/2011 04:46
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SWAT teams need to be disbanded and done away with. They are the most visible example of the militarization of the police. One city in California disbanded their SWAT team after they broke into the wrong house and machine-gunned the hapless, innocent resident.

- jimpeel, Denver, CO, USA, 09/6/2011 04:31