no-knock

[noh-nok]

adjective

1. Law.,  relating to or denoting a policy that authorizes law-enforcement officers to enter premises unannounced and without identifying themselves.

   On the basis of an anonymous tip, the police had obtained a no-knock search warrant for drugs.

2. antiknock.

Word History and Origins

Origin of no-knock¹

An Americanism dating back to 1965–70

Example Sentences

She was killed after officers in plain clothes executed a "no-knock" search warrant at her home.

From BBC

Taylor was killed after officers wearing plain clothes executed a "no-knock" search warrant at her home.

From BBC

After a series of intense exchanges, several administration officials — led by Vanita Gupta, the associate attorney general at the time — stepped in to rewrite the language while leaving in the substance of the proposals, including a call to revise use-of-force policies and to restrict chokeholds and no-knock warrants.

From New York Times

He said that while on the South Fulton council, he advocated for ending no-knock police raids, decriminalizing marijuana and paying reparations to descendants of slaves.

From Seattle Times

The congressman’s letter also seeks documents related to the agency’s implementation of a 2021 memo from the deputy attorney general related to “no-knock” warrants.

From Seattle Times