On Feb. 8 there was a fire in Normal at an apartment where Taylor Brown resided. Brown’s roommate reported the fire to 911.
When Brown arrived at the scene she was asked by the Normal Police Department to wait in a police vehicle, which she did. Then she was asked by the Police if she would mind going down to the station for an interview. Brown agreed to do so.
At the station Brown waited until a detective could arrive. After waiting about 40 minutes Brown realized she was tired and asked to leave. Brown was told she could leave and was promised a ride home.
But before the officer that was going to take Brown home allowed her to leave the building, the officer asked for Brown’s phone. Brown asked the officer why she wanted it. The officer told Brown it was being seized. Brown refused to hand her phone to the officer. That’s when trouble began.
Normal Police Chief Steve Petrilli can not discuss specifics of the case because of a federal lawsuit filed by Brown against his department as reported by several media outlets in late February.
In addition to that Petrilli can not speak to the case because there is a pending criminal investigation being conducted jointly by the Normal Police Department and Normal Fire Department.
Petrilli is able to speak regarding generalities. Petrilli said that police can seize property without an arrest or warrant. All that is required before seizing property is a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed. Therefore property is often seized to protect potential evidence. This is especially true of electronics.
After the property is seized, Police then can go and get a warrant. After getting a warrant they can search the property, which in many cases is an electronic device according to Petrilli.
Petrilli used as an example a crime scene. Police can seize an entire property and not allow even the owner or tenant back inside until they have completed their investigation. In a case like this many electronic devices can be seized along with the property itself. After the property is seized then the Police can go get a warrant before searching the property and/or items on the property such as electronic devices.
Petrilli said Normal Police officers go through high levels of training and that when they are in situations like this they refer to their training.
Attempts to reach Abby D. Bakos, Brown’s attorney, for comment were not successful.
