This is the most profoundly unbelievable story yet concerning the overarching scope of law enforcement and government.  SWAT Teams For Collections?  From the Dept. of Education? … Seriously?  C’mon folks, wake up and fight back against these dangerous losses in freedoms:

(DailyMail)  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.’
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.’  (read more)

(Previous Article – March 2010)  Why is the Education Department purchasing 27 Remington Brand Model 870 police 12-gauge shotguns (all new, no re-manufactured products, thank you)?

The guns are to replace old firearms used by Education’s Office of Inspector General, which is the law enforcement arm of the department.

Here’s a statement from the office in response to a question about why need 27 shotguns with a 14-inch barrels:

“The Office of Inspector General is the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of Education and is responsible for the detection of waste, fraud, abuse, and other criminal activity involving Federal education funds, programs, and operations. As such, OIG operates with full statutory law enforcement authority, which includes conducting search warrants, making arrests, and carrying firearms. The acquisition of these firearms is necessary to replace older and mechanically malfunctioning firearms, and in compliance with Federal procurement requirements. For more information on OIG’s law enforcement authority, please visit their Web site at   ww2.ed.gov

We asked department officials for specific examples of when the rifles might be used, but was referred to the above statement. Perhaps agents need some muscle while apprehending folks charged with fraud.  Here’s a link to an 11-page document from the Department of Justice with guidelines for the Offices of Inspector Generals within federal government department that have been given law enforcement authority. It provides detail about firearm training is to be carried out and under what circumstances authorized personnel can engage in law enforcement activities.  (read more)