Do you or would you call the cops?

[linuxman]

Simple question, just want to know your thoughts.

Given the recent news activity regarding police and the incidents involving injuries and deaths from their encounters with citizens, would you ever call the cops on someone? If not, why? If so, why? If no, what is your preferred method for handling things which might have one time prompted an emergency services call?

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

1. I have called the cops twice in the last year

Once because a guy was being assaulted at a bus stop near my house and once because a homeless woman was trying to set a car on fire.

I can't think of alternate courses of action.

[tblue37]

39. I've called the cops about a dog in a car on a hot day because I couldn't locate the owner

within a few minutes. This has happened twice, and I stand there and wait. I always try to find the owner first, though if the dog is altready in distress I wouldn't take extra time to look for him or her.

Both times I called the cops, the owner had to be hunted down in the store. Neither showed any sign of intending to return soon to their car, so I am glad I called. Our (liberal university town) cops are decent. They politely educated and warned the owners. No violence, rudeness, or threats.

[PatrickforO]

2. I call the cops.

If there is a problem, and they come.

Not all cops are bad, though some are rotten to the core.

But then I'm a late middle aged white guy living in the suburbs, so there's the disclaimer. Perhaps if I didn't enjoy unearned white privilege I wouldn't be so glib about rousing the authorities.

[Smarmie Doofus]

31. Systems are corrupt.

>>>Not all cops are bad, though some are rotten to the core. >>>>

People are generally shaped by them. ( i.e. their behavior is)

It must be *very* hard for a "good" person to remain "good" working within a typical PD.

The best they can do is look the other way.

But doesn't that make them complicit?

Morally, if not legally.

[rollin74]

3. I have called/would call the cops for serious crimes

violence or anything involving weapons

basically anything where someone was obviously being victimized

[tblue]

4. I'm surprised at my own trepidation thinking about this

Right now I involuntarily bristle whenever I see someone in a police uniform. I am so angry and distrustful of them anymore. I would call the police if I really needed them but I don't want them around me any longer than absolutely necessary. Now, I am black & Asian with lightish skin and straightish hair, so cops pretty much ignore me so far, but I don't assume I can always trust them.

We have a family friend who is a police officer but I've never seen her in a uniform and she is sweet and kind as can be to me and my family. So I know they're not all bad. That's about all I can say to answer your question.

[gopiscrap]

5. Just for crimes that could kill or injure some one

[lonestarnot]

6. Someone has to collect the evidence. They are the only ones in that business.

Car wrecks with drunk drivers, assaults, robberies, rape, murder, stalkers, breaker and enterers (I made up that word), and the like are supposed to be handled by the police. But yeah, it would have to be a reason that would warrant there service, that was out of my area of expertise.

[RandySF]

7. Why don't you put it to the test?

Next time you see an assault in progress, look for an alternative and hope no one is seriously hurt in the process.

[DrDan]

8. I have and will in the future should the situation arise

it is silly to assume all LEOs are as violent as you imply

[YabaDabaNoDinoNo]

9. Depends on the situation but generally no, don't deal with cops on or off duty at all

They can no longer be trusted.

[FreakinDJ]

10. No - they only make the situation worse

[Ghost in the Machine]

11. I have called them twice since 2010. The first time was when my house was broken into and some

things were stolen, like my TV, a laptop, DVD player and my son's XBOX360, which I had the receipts for with the serial numbers on them. I figured at least that would help if they showed up at a pawn shop somewhere.

The 2nd time was when I had a whacked out meth-head threatening to burn my house down while my kids and I were sleeping. I was told that they couldn't do anything about threats unless the person tried to carry it out. I asked them "what about making terroristic threats?" They still said they couldn't do anything because it was verbal threats, and I didn't have anything to prove that the threats were made.

The thing is, I live way out in the sticks, about 15 miles from town. On any given night we have a total of THREE County Officers on patrol, along with ONE City Officer for inside the city limits, and he helps back up the County Officers if they aren't too far out of the city limits. Our county is about 35 miles long, South to North, and 7 to 8 miles wide, East to West. The officers told me that even if I called, it could take them 45 minutes or longer to respond because they might be on another call somewhere and be tied up. They said that I was basically on my own and to post my property with "Private Property - NO TRESPASSING" signs, and IF I caught someone in my yard in the middle of the night with a gas can to just shoot them on sight, then call them and they would come get the body out of my yard and I would be protected under the "Castle Doctrine" laws.

I went to see the Judge the next day, and she agreed with what the officer said. Even went so far as to put "By Order Of The Xxxxx County Sheriffs Department and Judge Xxxx Xxxxxxx" on my "NO TRESPASSING" signs! They basically gave me a license to kill! Fortunately, I never had to act on it, and would hate to have to do so, but if YOU put ME in the situation where I have to choose between ending your existence, or losing my life and the lives of my kids, guess who's going to lose?? I like to think, in my own mind, that I would NOT shoot to kill, though. I'd rather shoot you in the arm or leg, just enough to stop the threat of you burning my house down, and would NEVER shoot someone in the back if they dropped the gas can and started running away. Too many people already think that ALL gun owners are just killers waiting for a chance to kill anyways. I wouldn't want to reinforce their stereotype. Justice would be better served by adding insult to injury by letting someone spend a little time in the jail wing of a hospital, then going into a prison cell for a while on top of that. The best case scenario would be not even having to fire a weapon, though. Hopefully they would be smart enough to drop the gas can, then drop to the ground and stay put until the cops *did* arrive. The unfortunate side of that is that "tweakers" aren't that smart to begin with, but one could hope, anyways...

With all of the shootings/mass killings in recent years, I have begun to question gun ownership at times, but where I live it is really a basic necessity to have one, if for nothing else than to hunt with and help keep meat in the freezer/food on the table. It's a big help when you are on a fixed income.

Peace,

Ghost

[BigDemVoter]

12. I did once. . . .

I had a duplex and rented the other side out to a lesbian couple. They got into a terrible fight one night very late, and one of them was screaming for help. I could hear booms and knocks as if somebody were being beaten. I called the cops.

[safeinOhio]

13. Yes, only because there is

a 25% chance I'll get the Tribal cops to come out. Their fire department is way better than the townships too.

Not all cops are bad. But, the 86% bad cops give the 14% of good ones a bad name.

[SheilaT]

14. I have never called the cops,

but I'm beginning to understand why people put out poison for dogs.

I am so freaking tired of listening to my neighbors' dogs bark incessantly that I'm tempted. I tell you, I'm tempted.

God, I hate dogs. More and more every day.

[damnedifIknow]

55. As a dog lover I find your post distasteful at best

I hope you're kidding about poisoning dogs.

[hfojvt]

79. as the owner of three

I do my best to reduce the barking they do. I used to only have one who barked at everything. Somehow she taught the other two to bark as well.

But not for very long, as I put the kibosh on it when they get noisy.

A couple months ago a seeming large dog moved in across the alley and it seemed like it NEVER shut up. The fairly loud barking went on for hours. Something needed to be done to shut him up.

Another neighbor across the alley has a big white dog, and I've knighted him. I call him 'Sir Barksalot'. Fortunately he is NOT outside all day or all night.

Otherwise the noise could easily get quite aggravating.

[damnedifIknow]

81. I can understand aggravation

but taking it to a deadly extreme such as poisoning blows my mind.

[hfojvt]

92. nobody is taking it to an extreme

only thinking about it.

No animals were harmed in the making of this wicked fantasy.

[damnedifIknow]

112. Call me over protective then

but harming animals really sets me off. I have a dog and yes he's a spoiled brat but the little man is a happy spoiled brat and that's all that counts in my book.

[truebluegreen]

62. The poison would be for the neighbors, right?

The responsible party?

[hunter]

64. I'm fortunate to be completely surrounded by neighbors with dogs worse than mine.

Our dogs live mostly in our house and are quite content. When they bark there is usually some good reason. Well, usually a good reason. A squirrel taunting them from the trees is probably not a good reason, but understandable from a dog's perspective.

I don't think kindly of people who leave their dogs outside barking all the time. Their poor dogs are simply bored and lonely.

Maybe you should poison the neighbors.

[jwirr]

65. Call the police and tell them what is going on. They no doubt

have a "dog" catcher in your city. Our community has a no bark law but it does not work unless you call on the owners.

Dogs often bark because they are left outside alone while the owners are gone or they are without shelter in the rain or snow. At least that is what happens in our community.

[Facility Inspector]

66. I hate dogs too

they are filthy needy little beggars.

[damnedifIknow]

67. Maybe a pill will help

[Glassunion]

72. I'm suspicious of people who don't like dogs,

but I totally trust a dog when it doesn't like a person.

[Facility Inspector]

73. I'm suspicious of people

who need a dog.

Certainly couldn't use that on my team.

[Glassunion]

74. Why?

Some folks do need dogs, and love them.

These folks are well upon their way to spend their lives helping people who need them...


Others, just love dogs... Because awesome.

[Rex]

90. It is the rare person that I've run into in life that doesn't like other animals of any kind.

All of them are republicans, but I guess there are some in our own party too. Me personally, I would never trust a person that hates animals...just the way it goes.

[Facility Inspector]

95. How did you jump from dogs

to all animals?

You guys must be real fun IRL.

[Facility Inspector]

93. sarcasm

Just joking around.

[Rex]

100. I kind of wondered.

Your first post made it seem that way. Never met a person in RL that hated dogs and liked any other animal. A few cat people that hated dogs, but that is it.

[TipTok]

77. That's just weird....

[Rex]

89. It is rare and strange to find a person that hates animals.

But here we are, big world etc..

[pecwae]

122. Dogs know.

I pay attention to mine if they take a dislike to someone. I trust them far more than most people.

[Rex]

102. .

[Rex]

91. That is sad you hate dogs, because of neighbors.

You should hate your neighbors and not transfer that hate unto the doggies imo.

[SheilaT]

104. It's not just the barking dogs in the neigborhood that is turning

me so much against dogs, but the attitude on the part of so many dog owners that OF COURSE everyone loves their canine. They take them places that if someone else brought a toddler, they'd be complaining bitterly.

At least cat people do not assume everyone adores their cat.

And while I wouldn't actually poison the neighbor dogs, I wish they'd stop barking.

A couple of days ago I went over and knocked on the door of the neighbor who lives right in back of me, and whose dog I hear constantly. She was shocked, just shocked to learn that her dog barked at all. I've certainly never heard a cat meowing from forty feet away, and definitely not for hours at a time.

[Rex]

107. I've been there, had the rudest neighbors in the world that let their 3 dogs bark all night long.

I wanted to ring their necks at times. Dogs included.

I love both cats and dogs...with me leaning toward cats the most. I hate people that own dogs and don't care about what they do. Finally I moved, not much of a solution but I slept like a baby for the first time in 6 years.

I feel your pain, I nearly tore my hair out at times.

[romanic]

15. Of course I call them.

Can't let paranoia of bad cops prevent you from doing the right thing and calling 911 when you see shit go down around you. Come the fuck on. -_-

[Recursion]

18. IDK. It's nice when cops can prevent crime but that isn't really their job

They tend to do best after a crime happens.

[Vinca]

16. How silly to act on the assumption all cops are bad.

If someone was breaking into the house it's unlikely I'd log onto DU to ask what I should do. Of course I'd call the cops! If I spot someone I'm certain is a drunk driver, I'd call the cops. If there is any chance anyone could be hurt by anyone's actions, I sure wouldn't confront them. I'd call the cops. If I saw a perv exposing himself near a school, I wouldn't stop and say, "Sir, would you kindly put it back in your pants," I'd call a cop. Sheesh. There are bad players in every profession, but you don't give up going to the dentist because one guy made money off Medicaid by pulling unnecessary teeth.

[MohRokTah]

30. There is no such thing as a "good cop".

There are bad cops and worse cops but no good cops.

[Vinca]

38. Thanks - I used to be one.

You have no idea how good it feels to have someone look you up after an incident and thank you for helping them. My best memory is a lady who was frequently arrested for alcohol-related offenses who sought me out to let me know something I said to her was what clicked and got her to check into rehab. I've seen her over the past 20 years and she's still sober.

[MohRokTah]

47. How many times did you uphold the blue code?

How many times did you look the other way and not rat out a fellow cop?

I seriously do not expect you to answer as any answer you give I seriously cannot trust to be honest.

[Vinca]

85. Wow - it sucks to be a person who can't trust.

I never had a reason to "rat out" a fellow cop. Sorry to disappoint.

[MohRokTah]

86. And I do not believe you. eom

[Vinca]

96. I feel sorry for you.

[MohRokTah]

113. Feel sorry for the 872 Americans killed by cops so far this year.

12 have been charged.

Zero convictions.

There's no such thing as a good cop.

[Vinca]

115. You have managed to irk me which is hard to do.

I suppose it's because I can't recall ever being called a liar before - either online or off. That, of course, reflects more on you than me. The day will come when you need a cop. Remember this conversation.

[MohRokTah]

116. The day I need a cop is the day I need a hole in my head.

Which the cop is highly likely to provide.

[Vinca]

117. I think you've already got one.

[MohRokTah]

118. I think you're jet pissed because I won't buy not the myth of the good cop.

[cwydro]

94. I never fail to be amazed by your posts.

What would you do if in an accident or witnessed a crime?

Yes, there are good cops.

You are just wrong.

[MohRokTah]

98. Answers

Walk away if I witness a crime. If in an accident I'll let the other person call the cops. I haven't been in an accident in over thirty years, though.

No, there are no good cops, only bad cops and the worse cops the bad cops enable.

I am just right.

[cwydro]

99. So if you see a child kidnapped or a person assaulted on the street -

you walk away?

People like you make our country great.

I think it's very sad that you feel this way about anyone. Obviously. you've been hurt badly by someone.

I hope you heal.

You're still wrong.

[MohRokTah]

106. Yes.

Cops only make a bad situation worse.

[cwydro]

110. Wow, Moh. Good to know you don't care if a child is kidnapped.

Little old lady's bag is grabbed?

Someone shot or hit on the head? Bank robbery?

You get a clear view and do nothing?

What a gem of a person.

[MohRokTah]

111. I'm not calling cops and take a risk of mebeing killed. eom

[hack89]

105. You are wrong

I know several good cops. Good fathers, active in the community, no histories of violence.

[MohRokTah]

108. Ther is no such thing as a good cop. eom

[hack89]

109. In your black and white cartoon world perhaps.

not in the real world.

I am done with you. I don't talk to close minded bigots.

[MohRokTah]

114. Yes, in the real world.

There are only bad cops and the worse cops they enable with their blue wall of silence.

[Recursion]

17. I have on a drunk guy throwing bottles

and setting trash cans on fire. Beyond my pay grade, there. I do though ask myself if the situation is currently more dangerous than having a cop show up. It often isn't.

[damnedifIknow]

19. It would take a very serious crime for me to call

I'd rather not deal with them at all, and maybe I shouldn't feel this way but I would just like to keep them at a distance if at all possible.

[Travis_0004]

20. Yes, I trust the police, and know quite a few police officers.

[Cobalt Violet]

21. mostly no cops

I avoid them as much as possible. I would call them if I felt my life or someone else's life were in grave danger.


Yesterday while returning to the trailhead where my car was parked I notice a cop live parked in the same lot. I sat down on the trail a waited for the cop to leave before I returned to my car. Thankfully it was only about a 15min. wait. I see no good reason to risk harasment.

[bemildred]

22. Never. nt

[Facility Inspector]

23. We handle security issues in house

Cops do their job, we do ours.

[One_Life_To_Give]

24. Certainly

There are functions for which that is their purpose and mostly they do a decent job. There is room for improvement but I am not ready to concede that power and authority to the local vigilantes/gang/mob.

[pintobean]

25. Yes. No problem.

No worries.

[liberal N proud]

26. Called them this week

When a punk took a handicap parking place and a deserving disabled couple couldn't find a parking place, I called the cops. Note I had seen the punk park in the handicap spot 3 time prior to that incident.

Yeah, I call the cops.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

27. I have several times in the past.

And they were totally useless, didn't even try to collect evidence related to the burglary and breakins, just told me to be sure to lock doors and windows. It would take something pretty damn extreme to make me do so in future, and only after I made sure my dogs were safely over with a neighbour.

[Snobblevitch]

121. I had a theft of a boombox out of my car.

I even got it back because my name was on the bottom of it.

[MohRokTah]

28. Nope, no calling the cops. eom

[TeddyR]

34. Yep

Have called them once when there was a car break in and once for a domestic abuse issue in a neighboring apartment. Wouldn't hesitate to call the police. Lots of good cops out there and I won't stereotype an entire group because of the actions of a few bad apples.

[MohRokTah]

35. There is no such thing as a "good cop".

It's a myth spread by the cops to convince you to sympathize with them.

[nolabear]

68. You're not serious, right?

Right?

[MohRokTah]

70. I am completely serious

I refuse to believe in the myth of the "good cop".

[treestar]

41. What if your car was stolen?

Years ago I had that happen to me. Though the cops found the car before I even noticed and came to my door, which was scary.

ETA what if insurance company won't pay off unless something is reported to the police? Also has been known to be a requirement for replacing stolen/lost passports.

[MohRokTah]

44. I'd fear the cops too much to call them.

Thugs in blue are worthless members of a sanctioned gang.

[treestar]

46. so if your car is stolen you just take the loss?

most of what the police do is innocuous. The shootings make the news because they are rare.

[MohRokTah]

48. It beats being shot to death by a cop.

[treestar]

49. over doing it here

the cops who came to tell me they found my car didn't shoot me.

[hunter]

61. In some cities the cops steal cars...

... I kid you not.

In King City, California, the police were stealing cars, mostly from undocumented workers who were afraid of the police.

Cops, including the police chief, were also stealing cars from the police department itself.

http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/blogs/news_blog/facing-a-hung-jury-retired-king-city-police-chief-pleads/article_922181bc-365a-11e5-833e-a72b0ef45c0b.html

Back in the 'nineties we had a car stolen by another police department. It was first stolen by a gang and used in a drive-by shooting. The police caught the gangsters and said they had to check out the car for evidence.

Then they "lost" it. We made such a fuss that they did "find" it again, after about a month, but then they wanted us to pay storage fees that exceeded the value of the car!!! We did get the car back eventually, without paying the fees, but that sort of thing doesn't make a person respect the police in general.

In most of the U.S.A. the police treat nice affluent white people professionally, even when they call with trivial complaints. Those are the communities where people have a good impression of the police.

In the grittier communities of the U.S.A., the sort I've lived in most of my life now, people *always* think twice about calling the police, knowing how the police can turn trivial altercations into major tragedies.

[6chars]

29. Only in a life or death situation

Not if someone broke into my car or something.

[justhanginon]

32. Would not hesitate to call the police if necessary. Any

dealings I have had with them have been fine. Most police are just your neighbor in a different and oft times potentially dangerous line of work.

[CrispyQ]

33. I would consider other solutions before calling the cops, if possible. -nt

[ileus]

36. it's mostly a waste of time for any event needing imediant intervention

[KentuckyWoman]

37. Called 911 for help with out of control mental health patient.

While I was in Atlanta visiting my sister years ago.....for one of the neighbors. The fellow in trouble was a BIG man and all we had was 2 teeny females. His wife and me. His meds were on shots at the time -- one a day. He missed one the night before and woke up a hot mess. We just really needed some burly guys to get him to cool it and relax so we could get a shot in him.


I expected the EMT people to come. Instead they sent only the cops out in what looked like swat team gear. Escalated the hell out of the situation. A dozen gunshots, 4 busted doors and big hole in the kitchen wall they got handcuffs on him and then wouldn't let us near him to give him his meds. Threatened to arrest us too if we didn't back off. I decided city cops are more messed up than actual mental health patients.

He eventually got his meds and I think the trauma stuck with him.... he's never missed meds since.

For me....... I would never call 911 in that type situation again.

[treestar]

40. I've never called the cops

Never had any reason to.

If there was someone in my office who would not leave and was acting threatening in some way I might. Or if I thought someone strange was breaking into the house.

The only time I have ever dealt with cops is traffic stops. And a couple of depositions about auto accidents (where the cop was at the scene to take the report).

[OriginalGeek]

42. Just once

I was sitting at a red light (in the middle of 3 lanes) and a lady pulling out of a gas station just ran right straight into the side of my car. I got out and saw she crumpled my fender pretty badly. I got her to back up into the parking lot and when I went to talk to her she smelled so badly of alcohol I knew then why she just ran into me. I called 911 and explained that I was hit, there were no injuries but the lady was trying to leave and way too drunk to drive.

They came right away. She couldn't even stand up during the field sobriety test - she fell several times. THey took her away and towed her car and I collected insurance money for my fender.

[TipTok]

43. It's like the modern freak out about pedophiles on every corner...

A media made product for consumption...

The reality is that if you call the police and act like a decent person, the odds are excellent that you will come out better than you started.

[MohRokTah]

45. I seriousy doubt that.

It is my firm opinion that calling the police will only make a bad situation worse.

[TipTok]

54. That's not really a repudiation...

It's just an acknowledgement that your opinion doesn't jive with statistics...

Thousands of police interactions every hour of every day with only a very small amount of them escalating to a bad situation...

Like I said, the odds that you will have a neutral to positive encounter are excellent.

[MohRokTah]

56. I refuse to take the chance as there is no such thing as a good cop.

There are bad cops who obey the blue code and stand by the blue wall, and there are worse cops that the bad cops are standing up for.

[TipTok]

58. K...

Shorter response time for the rest of us...

[nolabear]

69. You ARE serious! Just curious, what made you feel this way?

FYI, I think there are both good cops and bad cops. I have relatives who have been at both ends and all in between. They scare me too, but I know that's as a result of having been around and heard so much about the bad. But I know genuinely good people who are on police forces.

[MohRokTah]

88. Cops get away with murder every day.

The cops called "good cops" back up these murderers.

There are no good cops, only bad cops and worse cops.

[closeupready]

50. I used to call them for disturbances, but in light of current developments

I'd have to think hard before doing so.

[Lizzie Poppet]

51. Only under truly dire circumstances, frankly.

Violent crime in progress? Sure. But that's about the level of "oh shit" it would take for me to call the cops.

[hunter]

52. They'll just tell me to fill out a form on their website, or in person at the police station...

... unless somebody is dead, bleeding, or on fire.

Occasionally they'll shoot a mentally ill person who may or may not be dead, bleeding or on fire.

[LanternWaste]

53. As a clean-cut, white male, police reactions have always been fair towards me

As a clean-cut, white male, police reactions have always been fair towards me (more than fair in a couple of cases), so I would call LEO (and have); however I can certainly understand (and sympathize with) why other demographics would refuse to call LEO-- regardless of the loss potentially taken in not doing so.

[Iggo]

57. For what?

In other words: It's a sliding scale, kiddo.

[Throd]

59. Yes. I used to live in a high crime neighborhood and called them about once a month.

[Jake Stern]

60. Had noisy neighbors who would throw loud parties

Last edited Thu Sep 24, 2015, 01:10 PM - Edit history (1)

Real redneck humdingers. At the time my elderly parents had moved in after their foreclosure and I had to be up at 5am for work.

Polite requests to take the party indoors were met with swearing and calls to the landlord were fruitless so I called the cops on them. Many times. Finally the city got so tired of getting called out there they told the landlord they would start ticketing HIM for allowing a nuisance. The hillbillies were evicted post haste.

If it weren't for the police intervention the landlord probably wouldn't have gotten rid of the obnoxious assholes.

[jwirr]

63. In my own community I would if the problem is serious.

However there is a reason for that - first our police live in our community. And secondly we have two police forces. One serves the town and the other is a Native American force that serves the reservation. They work together when there is a need but they each have their own jurisdiction. It has been that way for years now and it makes it better.

This arrangement has improved the level of safety for all races not just Native Americans. There is less tension.

When I say that I would only call if the problem is serious I am telling you that I object to the use of petty offenses to harass people, mostly people of color.

[nolabear]

71. I've called them in times of trouble. And I've had bad experiences at times too.

I don't like being viewed (and I'm a 60 year old white woman) as suspect, and I seldom feel otherwise. Part of that is me, I think. I don't like the hyper vigilance, the looking around as if there's a threat lurking behind every tree, or the sense that I'm perceived as one, even when I've called and it's clearly a non-violent situation like an accident or someone in trouble. I think the life does that, even to those who didn't begin that way, and I sympathize with the good guys who suffer that fate even as I am wary of them. The bad ones are the most dangerous creatures on earth imo.

[Blue_In_AK]

75. I've called the cops a couple of times when I've heard screaming.

I called Crimestoppers on the crack dealers across the street because they were drawing too much traffic day and night, and I also suspected prostitution. My neighbor called the cops when some punk kid was trying to break into my daughter's bedroom several years ago, and I'm very glad she did. They were here immediately and caught him in the act. My experiences with Anchorage's police have almost always been positive.

[Maedhros]

76. As opposed to what?

If someone is a danger to themselves or others, should I just grab my .38 and take care of it myself?

[TipTok]

78. Called em last week...

Drunk driver had been kind enough to park his hoopty wagon blocking my driveway... along with some cans and vomit...

With an infant at home and no way to leave if there was an emergency, you can bet that my first call was to the Sheriff.

They showed up, knocked on some doors, picked up a teenager on an unrelated warrant and towed the car in an hour.

Nice, clean and neat...

Great service...

[hamsterjill]

80. About a year ago, some of those "terrible cops" that some people talk about saved

my home from invasion. I hadn't called them. They were chasing a burglary suspect in my neighborhood and he was going from house to house to house trying to get inside to elude them.

He'd already tried to push his way into two homes before he got to mine. In one instance, a man opened the door, but was able to push the intruder out and lock the door. The other home had a Doberman peering out the window and the guy thought otherwise.

When he got to my front door, the police overtook him, took him down, handcuffed him and took him to jail.

They were not out of line. They were not overly angry. They were not overly forceful. They were doing their job.

When the handcuffs were on the dude and, shaken, I finally got outside to find out what had transpired, the dude said something nasty to me. He was mad about being caught. I hadn't done anything to him.

As with most anything in life, there is both good and bad. Good cops and bad cops.

Yes, if I feel threatened or see someone else under what I believe to be a real threat, I will call the cops.

[frylock]

82. I've dialed 911 three times in my life..

Once for a domestic disturbance (upstairs neighbors were arguing. I elected to call 911 after a teevee was chucked down the stairs. They informed me that they had already received several calls), once to report a dog on the median of a busy freeway interchange, and once to report an obviously impaired driver. I have to admit that I would be reluctant to call the police today.

[OilemFirchen]

83. Of course.

Twice this year for an unstable, well-armed neighbor who was threatening us. Each response included an intervention specialist, and both resulted in psych evals. I've seen her recently and she appears to back on her meds.

My S.O. called to report a hit-and-run in which she was injured.

Who should we have called instead?

[840high]

84. Yes I have and yes I would.

[Rex]

87. That's not really just a yes or no question. I would call the cops in the town I live in.

Not so sure if I was in another town that I did not know anything about. Cops can be good or they can be a total nightmare. Depends, sadly.

[sarisataka]

97. To see a crime and do nothing

Would make me complicit in the crime. To take action, except in the case of not taking immediate action would result in serious injury or death to the victim, would be vigilantism.

The police are paid and trusted to protect society. I expect them to do that job. I expect those who abuse that trust to be punished appropriately.

[B Calm]

101. Yes, I would.

[hack89]

103. Without hesitation.

police violence is not an issue where I live.

[AuntPatsy]

119. Yes if need be, but all I really need to do is go next door, there are good and bad in every facet

Of life's human populations......

[bettyellen]

120. Recently an old neighbor was acting threatening and erratically so some people discussed what to do

everyone knew he needed help badly- his grandparents were so spooked they threw him out- and it wasn't clear where he was staying or how much of it was sustance abuse. He was a normally nice guy in a spiral but he was starting fights and scaring people.
Because he was a tall, husky black man in the Nronx....no one talked about calling the police. Everyone was certain calling the police would end very badly.