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Old November 12, 2008, 05:32 AM   #159
BillCA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 28, 2004
Location: Silicon Valley, Ca
Posts: 7,117
Quote:
I'm retired, but you might note that it is usually the LEOs and former LEOs that are the most adamant about not going out to check the noise or clear the house. That should tell you something.
Of course there's a downside to this too. If people call without attempting to verify the noise is legitimate (neighbor taking out his trash for instance) then we tie up a lot of police resources on bad calls. Simply peeking outside may give us enough information to return to bed and not call the PD. If it can't be identified and really did sound like a prowler/thief, then by all means call the Gendarmes.

Another downside is the "Cry Wolf" syndrome. It's often associated with the elderly. Here in the SFBA when I was studying LE in college, a local agency had an elderly woman named Giselle who would usually call once or twice a week hearing "prowlers" around her place. Typically the noise would come from an gate she forgot to secure, the wind knocking garbage can lids off, cats mating/fighting, a broken branch of some bush rubbing a wall or window. that sort of thing. The police were nice to her because she was a widow, in her 80's and carried a number tattooed on her forearm.

But you've guessed the downside, haven't you? One night a veteran officer got the call, drove by and saw nothing. He parked two houses away and on foot checked the house out. His backup was another 30 seconds away when he frantically radioed "Code 30! Shots fired! I've been shot!" His career ended that night with a .45 Colt round shattering his collarbone and lodging in his left shoulder socket. The 19 year old perp tried to get his Python but got the officer's fingers in his eyes and fled. Fortunately a responding unit caught him, still holding the Ruger SA and he gave it up without a fight. When it was over, there were 26 police units from 4 different agencies in front of the house. The officer had let his guard down entering the back yard, expecting a cat, dog or some other simple explanation. Only this time it was a real intruder.
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