Break in - hunker down or clear the house

[88GT]

I just asked Mr88GT this same question last night. If it's clear there's an intruder, it's one approach. Otherwise, one of us is probably going to investigate. But we have a dog too. There's some insurance in having him since we can take our cues off of him. He's pretty good about making people pee their pants when he alerts us to their presence. I watched one guy step off the front porch and back up 20ft the other day when his knock was met with the barking. And I never even opened the door.

 

[calcot7]

Once I determine which room the perp or perps have gained access to, a flash/concussion device will be detonated followed by a warning announcement over the intercom. If there is an improper response the detonation of the claymoores will take place. After that....................................

 

[LtScott14]

My 20 something son likes to roam after midnite.(usually the raid to the fridge) and would hate to go Defcon4 due to him dropping something. We also have a tactical cat(in black) who jumps from chair to window frame to couch, etc. Please all, beware of the surroundings!

If doors are being kicked in, Mr G19, or Mr.12ga are coming out, so ... 911 call first, request Police and Medics, shots fired, man down ... I am wearing... and armed till officers arrive... will turn on lights at the front door, the one hanging off the hinges w/ body inside. Stay on the phone if possible.

Note: We keep a cell phone, charged, next to the landline and a couple of flashlights to assure what is what. We have had power outings, at night and it helps to have stuff handy.

My training for clearing a house is extensive.(many yrs of LEO) I believe there would be no time to "cut the pie" if your door is flying open or off the hinges. It would "be on brother", and won't be pretty.

 

[daddymikey1975]

wife calls the cops, I go investigate.. my house is arranged such that I'm sleeping in a bedroom that's not more that 10 or 12 steps from front or back doors.. if someone kicks in a basement window, I'm alerted by my security system immediately.. If they come in through either door, my alarm goes off.. if I'm ever in bed adn my alarm goes off, It's defcon 1... wife calling police (as well as security company) and I'm armed and ready to fire.. I'll put myself between the BG and my family... I know, I'm placing alot of hope on the hollow points, but what else can I place hope in? The cops will be a few minutes away, I'm sure

 

[TheDude]

I'll never tell....I'll keep my plans a surprise for the bad guy.

This.

 

[.45 Dave]

I have a small one floor house. I keep my gun with me near the bed but I also have one of those 2 Million candle power lights by the bed. First the dog will go ballistic, then if they get past her, they get blinded and maybe shot. That depends on if they attack, run or give up and whether they have a weapon. A weapon = instant lead poisoning. Hurting the dog also equals instant lead poisoning.

 

[hbarnett1]

Call 1911 first,then 911

 

[looney2ns]

This was always my plan too. However, it got me thinking this a.m. What do you do when the police arrive?

I doubt they're going to kick in the door and clear the house for you. So, you have to go let them in, no? This concerns me a bit, because then in essence you're still clearing the house to let them in....OR you're not clearing but going straight to the front door (don't really like that either).

If you do decide to clear the house to let them in, you're walking around with a gun when there might be officers on the other side (know what's behind your target) of your bad guy depending on where you run into him. You also might be making the officers more and more nervous by taking 5 minutes to answer the door--are you still on the phone with 911 personally? Not sure I like taking focus away to hold the phone.

Of course there are a lot of possibilities, the bad guy flees as soon as he hears them pull up, or a cop sees you through a window with the gun clearing the house and mistakes you for the bad guy etc.

I'm not saying it is better to clear it before the cops come, it just got me to thinking as I never really considered what I'd do when they showed up...

They will check the outside of the house first for signs of entry or unlocked door, when the find it, they will use it just like the BG did. If the house is secure, then well, they will relay that to you.

 

[looney2ns]

Very dangerous for you to clear the house. Think you can do this with a totally clear head if you've just been woke up?

Designate a safe room. Safe room should have: weapon, flashlight, phone, lockable door.
Train everyone to go to the safe room immediately if a threat occurs. Have a plan to get youngin's to safe room.
Once all inside, lock door, call 911, describe where you are in house and you are armed. Keep the line open, don't hang up, so the scene is recorded. Stay low to the floor behind cover, keep light and gun aimed at door. Yell commands that you have called police and you have a weapon and will shoot.
This needs to be physically practiced on a regular basis, just like a fire drill, especially with kids.

Mr Spaulding explains:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyMOBTWD5d0[/ame]

 

[daddymikey1975]

Very dangerous for you to clear the house. Think you can do this with a totally clear head if you've just been woke up?

Designate a safe room. Safe room should have: weapon, flashlight, phone, lockable door.
Train everyone to go to the safe room immediately if a threat occurs. Have a plan to get youngin's to safe room.
Once all inside, lock door, call 911, describe where you are in house and you are armed. Keep the line open, don't hang up, so the scene is recorded. Stay low to the floor behind cover, keep light and gun aimed at door. Yell commands that you have called police and you have a weapon and will shoot.
This needs to be physically practiced on a regular basis, just like a fire drill, especially with kids.

Mr Spaulding explains:

This is very sound advice. (thanks for the video)

 

[handgun]

I dont have kids or a wife..... i do not currently have a girlfriend who would have a key... i am sweeping the house and shooting anything that moves( well i will verify its not some rogue family member) o

Family that has a key knows better than to come over un announced let alone help themselves in with the spare keys they were given. Always knock..

Sorry to the guys in blue..dont trust them they probably will shoot me by mistake. They will be contacted afterwards.. to come fill out paperwork and clean up the mess for me

 

[nirol]

They will check the outside of the house first for signs of entry or unlocked door, when the find it, they will use it just like the BG did.

Interesting. So, if a walk-out basement window is broken, they'll just enter that way?

What if the bad guy broke the window, but then got scared by the German Shepard. Upstairs, I don't know that the BG left, all I know is I awoke to breaking glass, and an crazed dog. Call the cops, hunker down...when the cops get there, my dog won't like them either, they're at risk, so how do they enter or do they?

Let's say there is no dog, the BG breaks the same window, but leaves due to alarm, or hears my shouts that I'm armed (w/e the reason, he leaves, but I don't know if he's still there or not)...As the cops are clearing the house, are they fully identifying themselves, room by room, using lights etc? What I'm getting at is will I know it is them at the bedroom door vs the BG? Or are they trying to quietly go through the house to keep the element of surprise on the BG?

Sorry if these are dumb questions, I literally have no idea what the police would do in these situations.

 

[jb1911]

If there's a noise in the night my 3 Chihuahuas that sleep in our bed with us will make a God-aweful racket, scaring the hell out of me, my wife and probably the intruder. Us 5 are the only ones in our house. The noise will probably make the intruders leave the property. My main plan is my wife and I are on the far side of the bed from the door, hunkered down and I have my 870 loaded with #1 buck pointed at the door. I have an Eagletac T100CR MKII mounted on it and it will be on so I can see who it is entering. When we are in position wifey will dial 911 while I keep an eye on the door. If that door opens and I don't recognize the intruder, God help him.

 

[mrobnoxious1]

me and the wife sleep downstairs, kids up. Have to clear.

 

[Somemedic]

Always work on your car/mow the lawn with a side arm. Let the neighborhood see it.

Word travels fast... folks don't bother you.

My apt is small enough once I cut the corner from my bedroom there's no place I can't see. its downstairs in a basement. laundry room and secondary storage room are on the left and right from going up the stairs. Egress is through the foyer at the top of the stairs.

If we meet while I'm coming up those stairs you should probably do everything I tell you.

 

[rugertoter]

If I was sure enough of the noise(window break or door open) to gather the family in a room. I would stay in the room with my shotty pointed down the fatal funnel while calling the cops...let the professionals clear the house.

That's exactly what I would do.

 

[nomadicmutt]

I've had just enough mil-sim room clearing training to know not to bother even trying it unless I have absolutely no other option, especially since I'll be doing it alone.

My apt is set up where our bedroom is buried at the back of the house. Everything is alarmed, so just "hearing a noise" isn't going to really unsettle me. It's probably just another crappy appliance melting down. Find it, unplug it, and call maintenance in the morning.

But if we're sure someone's in the apt, the wife and I hunker down in the bedroom with all the weapons we can get our hands on pointed towards the (admittedly flimsy) BR door. We let the intruder know that we're armed, we've called 911, and he's gonna get a facefull of buckshot if he comes in the bedroom, but other than that, we let him take whatever he wants and leave without a fuss.

My personal stuff isn't worth making my wife a widow over. That's why I have insurance. It's only stuff.


Note: I don't care who you are, if I can afford insurance, I know pretty much anybody else can. :P

 

[GLOCKMAN23C]

I would have to clear the house. Its small enough to do quickly, and with minimal exposure. I also have the advantage, I know my house.

 

[Double T]

I will clear the house, everything I need is behind door number one. Our golden will lead me where I need to go, and is my best helper.

Wife will be upstairs and armed with the kiddos on 911.

I will clear as fire, medics, and LEO have all missed my house though I tell dispatch northeast house at the intersection in the past.

I work damn hard for what I've got, and Ill be damned if a methhead is going to take anything.

 

[partsgetter]

check it out while wife calls 911