The extra 4 minutes for them to get a warrant, and the now, closer and more thorough search they would then perform in my home, wasn't worth the time I had in the day. Constitutionality aside, it was easier to just let them in and go "Duh! WOW! Nice tank!", than to be a jackoff and say "Take the three minutes for a warrant...I'll make popcorn..." and deal with two hours of BS after the fact.
Life, in my estimation, is all about picking your battles. That wasn't even close to one of em.
Takes 'em a lot longer than 4 minutes to get a warrant.. Also, if you force them to obtain a warrant, you'll guarantee yourself a quite "thorough" search with couch cushions sliced open, dressers pulled out and dumped all over the floor, walls torn down or broken, and possibly items that you own as well as cash end up missing (digital cameras are quite popular with crooked cops these days). Kinda sucks that you can't win either way... And if they don't find anything, oh well.... You're dealing with a completely trashed house, and they've got a hilarious story to tell their buddies at the doughnut shop.. Funny how it works when you actually make cops do their jobs, isn't it?
I have a hard time respecting cops these days.. When I come to know them personally and they are actually decent people, that's one thing..
However, I'm sorry to say that most I've come to know enjoy the power they wield way too much and I find myself fortunate to be their friend as opposed to someone else they pull over
or have a run in with..