What are the laws concerning “police welfare check-ins”. Can the enter your home without a search warrant?
You may find that the police have broad latitude not only to enter your home but also to insist that you receive a psychiatric evaluation just on the word of an informant. Many officers are more likely to take you into custody for a psychiatric evaluation if someone is giving them misinformation, because of the disconnect between your state–or your anger at the intrusion. Resisting a welfare call, or, heaven forbid, taking a defensive action against the officers (it’s usually several) can cause you problems of their own. If you are the subject of a welfare call, and you aren’t sick or suicidal, be polite, be informative, and stay cool. You may still spend the day, or a couple of days, explaining yourself to social workers, psychologists, a psychiatrist, and a judge. If you are held on the basis of false report, expect just a passing apology, and usually not from the officer who hauls you off. But you may be able to get a restraining order against the person making a false report on yo
