Good Morning All,
Regarding Torst and odam2k's posts (#244 and #245) about allowing the police into you home, I have the following thoughts.
Never, and I do mean NEVER!, let the police on your property without a search warrant.
I know this sounds confrontational, and it does require you to politely confront the police, but they are NOT your friends. If they have reasonable suspicion of illegal activities on your property, they will get a search warrant. If they show up without a search warrant, they are on a fishing expedition. That means they will be looking for ANY infraction to justify their presence on your property.
Torst said "the police need a warrant unless I want to let them in to view, and even then I only have to show them what I want..."
Once you invite them in, you are authorizing them to look at whatever THEY want, until you tell them no. Being suspicious is their job, it is what they are trained to do. Maybe they'll see something illegal like a pack of cigarettes or something. Now they can investigate a "crime" totally unrelated to why they are there. And you can't stop them, you gave them permission to come in.
Protect yourself, just say no.
Peace.