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Changes made to police entry bill

Changes to a bill regarding warrantless police entry have not stopped criticism from state law enforcement.

The Indiana Senate voted to spell out circumstances in which homeowners can legitimately respond with force if police barge into their home.

The bill is in response to an Indiana Supreme Court ruling that a lawsuit is the only proper way to challenge such an entry.

But opponents are concerned the bill could encourage violence toward police officers.

They note police undergo extensive training on what constitutes reasonable force, and say the law puts homeowners in a position of making that judgment in a split second without any training at all.

The revised version approved by a House committee falls back on the so-called "castle doctrine," a 2006 law that says homeowners have the right to use force if necessary to defend their home.

The full House takes up the bill next week.