Bismarck officer being investigated for entering home without warrant

An officer is being investigated in Bismarck for entering a home without a warrant on March 19.

The Bismarck Police Department chief of police, Dave Draovitch says the officer who has worked for the department for more than three years should’ve gotten a warrant.

Draovitch says police were looking for three runaways from a group home and the officer went to the apartment of one the teens' mothers to see if anyone was home.

Police say the officer in question heard voices from inside the door and when she knocked the voices went quiet.

Draovitch says the officer went to the manager of the apartment and got a key.

“She shouldn’t have don’t that,” says Draovitch. He says the door was unlocked when she tried to open it and stepped a foot inside the home and was immediately confronted by the homeowner.

Police say the victim made a formal complaint.

Draovitch says the officer’s supervisors are investigating the situation and talking to the victim, neighbors and the apartment manager. “She [the officer] knows she made a mistake,” said Draovitch.

Draovitch says this is a learning lesson and the officer will be disciplined and have to review the department’s policies.

He says the punishment could range from verbal counseling to reprimand.

Draovitch says the Supreme Court ruled entering into a home without a search warrant is illegal but with exceptions like exigency and consent.

Two of the three juveniles have been found.