After months of discussion and debate, the Mobile City Council voted on an ordinance banning pre-dawn raids and no-knock warrants Tuesday.
The ordinance and an amendment failed, with four council members voting "yes" and three voting "no." The ordinance would have had to have a supermajority in support to pass.
Those voting "yes" were Council president C.J. Small and Councilmen Cory Penn, William Carroll and Joel Daves.
Those voting "no" were Councilmen Gina Gregory, Ben Reynolds and Josh Woods.
The legality of the ordinance came into question during debates. It stated, "No law enforcement personnel employed by the City of Mobile shall seek, execute, or participate in the execution of a no-knock warrant at any location within the boundaries of the City of Mobile" and "No law enforcement personnel employed by the City of Mobile shall authorize or perform a pre-dawn raid."
The proposed ordinance also offered exceptions to the ban. Police already operate off those exceptions when authorizing and executing search warrants.
Those questioning if it was legal to dictate police policy cited The Zoghby Act, which gave Mobile's government-specific roles. Some legal experts said a ban on raids and certain warrants could violate the act.
The proposal of the ordinance came about following the officer-involved shooting of a 16-year-old during a pre-dawn search warrant in November.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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