That would have been a shorter post.
THIS. I have patience with people to a point I just do not understand why some cops seem to be lacking this virtue and insist that being an ass is the best way to enforce laws and respond to the public.
Agreed. I think some of it has to do with the fact that police mostly deal with the less desirable element and adjust their demeanor to handle that type of person. While I understand that is a role they have to play, some need to learn that every interaction isn't with a criminal.
Agreed. I think some of it has to do with the fact that police mostly deal with the less desirable element and adjust their demeanor to handle that type of person. While I understand that is a role they have to play, some need to learn that every interaction isn't with a criminal.
It does not have to be a longer post to be superior in virtues
True. (<-----see what I did there?)
They did after the super arrived. It went pretty well after he got there but it turned a little ugly again after I asked, politely I may add, that I would appreciate an apology considering I did nothing wrong and was exceptionally compliant even beyond what the law calls for. That was when I got the "who do you think you are to question a PO" attitude. I told them I manage people in my job and would expect my employees to apologize if they behaved inappropriately. The Sargeant said, "Well, no harm no foul" and they left. Very friendly but not responsive.
I'm gonna be the devils advocate here to a point. We don't know what the actual call to the PD was. The "young officer" doesn't have the option on what calls to respond to and what ones not to respond to. If he is dispatched he has to respond. Put yourself in his shoes for a minute. He's responding to a call about someone with a gun. He wants to get home to his family at the end of his shift like we all would. He didn't ask for your gun from your post, he asked for your LTCH. The way he asked could have been better, but he gets trained to keep control of a situation because when he loses control all sorts of bad things happen for everybody. Having said that, I'd still request a visit with the Police Chief to discuss how you were treated. Instead of being confrontational he could have said "sir I just asked to see your LTCH due to a complaint" or something along those lines. PO's deal with all kinds of situations and what it looks like at first glance is hardly ever what it really is. He reamins firm, but polite. I try to give them the benefit of the doubt for some of their actions. SOME. I would still talk to the Chief and see what he has to say. Maybe they can come up with something so this doesn't happen again to you or someone else going forward.
Those are my two pennies on the situation.
I appreciate all the responses. I am scheduled to talk with a commander today. The impression I am getting is that the officer got a dressing down and it is being handled but I want to be sure.
Please request that the ENTIRE DEPARTMENT be educated on the concept of 1) Carry on your OWN PROPERTY and also on 2) Open Carry OFF your property with a LTCH. Ask for follow up (copy of the memos, video of the instructional meeting, etc)
The way I see it, the supervisor who came to your property is JUST AS GUILTY as the young officer. He should have resolved the situation right on the spot. The fact that you didn't get your apology from both of them is a sign that neither was well informed.
Save the rest of the residents a lot of hassle and get the commander to retrain his officers.
This is just me but if I am on my own property I will tell that officer or anyone else to either arrest me or get off of my property. I am on my property, I have nothing to prove. I will not show you my papers. You prove I do not belong there and then we can talk.
I understand what you are saying, but the dispatcher that attempts to resolve a call without sending an Officer, will be fired so fast that it would be dizzying.
It is up to the responding Officer to do a complete investigation of the complaint.
It cannot ever be any other way. And you wouldn't want it any other way.
Guys have killed everybody in the house and then waited for the police to respond to the call, to "commit suicide by Cop". They sat down on the front steps, got bored and started pulling weeds while waiting. A bank robber did that to me, once. True story, it was 2001.
The VERY FIRST thing that a recruit is taught in the Academy is that things are NEVER how they may seem. Cops, by their very nature and training, are sceptical of everything.
The young Officer went home to his family after his shift. I'll bet he didn't give the incident a second thought after that. Nobody got hurt. We only have one side of the story and I am not going to ask for more of the story. I have nothing in this.
OP, from your account of what happened, you handled this well.
I am signal 88.
If the nosy neighbor called in that there was a man with a baseball bat playing ball in the yard, should an officer be dispatched to investigate?
How about a man with a shovel planting daisies in the yard... send an officer to investigate?
Of course, any of these weapons could and have been used to kill people, yet none of these actions warrants an investigation simply because a call was made.
Does anyone really think a dispatcher shouldn't be asking why these calls were being made and what exactly they were attempting to report?
They don't. Medical professionals use lots of referrence books and consults.
It has been discussed how these MWG calls are not as frequent as people feel. You really have no idea how many laws there are and how many cops remember and do not remember.
The answer is yes - an officer must be sent out to investigate. I know that is not how it would be if ATM or Hayseed were king but that is reality.
It does not have to be a longer post to be superior in virtues
"Personally I like to build a bridge of civility and understanding between civilians and the police."
Good luck with that.
While I'm not fond of the apparent belligerence in this post, I don't know that it's intentional. (I'd think not, actually.) I'd agree with your position;
"Officer, my neighbor is an idiot. I don't need anyone's permission to carry on my own property. I'm sorry he or she wasted your time, but I'm sure there are much more important things you can be doing. Stay safe and have a great rest of the day."
Blessings,
Bill
In closing, I am pretty pleased w the response I got. I know a lot of county and city cops and most of them are real good guys and gals who wear the badge well. I remember being a rookie. I didn't know s$&@ from shinola either. I bet he learned from this.
Thanks for the chuckle.mkgr22, that would be the only arguement the policeman could have had by saying he did not know if the guy mowing the yard was the actual homeowner and not some nut job. A very weak arguement at best, but you can still be nice in speaking with greyhound. His lack of concern with a visible weapon, again not knowing 100% who the person mowing was, is my biggest concern, but its his arse, not mine. Remember, most of use are truely looking out for the public's safety. If it was me in this situation, I would be glad that a coppers is checking, just in case I was that 1 in a million nut job running around. Again, prob not, but geuss who gets f'd up if we are wrong. Prob the innocent. If everyone doesn't want that and would like us to completely stay off their property, in this case, we would gladly do this. I wish someone would tell the powers that be so I wouldn't get sent there in the first place. I got donuts to eat. I don't want a police state as much as anyone else.
Hope next time he doesn't come back and shoot your dog...