Frank, all valid points that crossed my mind to be completely honest. But something in my mind at the time said "Oh Hell no!" and I made the call, for better or worse. I even apologized to my wife for taking such a risk, but she knows how I'm hard wired and has been nothing but supportive and forgiving. If there is a next time, which I hope there isn't, I will definitely be more cautious.
So glad I carry!
- Thread starter baddarryl
- Start date
I have to say, I'm one of those that would check out my house on my own before involving the police. Obviously not the safest thing to do, but it's my house, possibly and my bonehead mistake - I'm not a big fan of inviting the government over to take care of me and my "stuff", unless it was a confirmed dire emergency.
Safety vs. Self Reliance - I tend to lean more toward self reliance.
Safety vs. Self Reliance - I tend to lean more toward self reliance.
Prof Young
New member
Hmmm good thoughts.
It occurs to me that I don't have the number of the local police programed into my phone. Sure there is 911, but why have a middle man? Will look that up and program in tonight.
Live well, be safe
Prof Young
It occurs to me that I don't have the number of the local police programed into my phone. Sure there is 911, but why have a middle man? Will look that up and program in tonight.
Live well, be safe
Prof Young
If you are concerned enough to pull your gun out of its holster, you should be concerned enough to pull your phone out of your pocket and call for backup. Except in cases of extreme and immediate need, law enforcement officers won’t try to clear a house by themselves, without backup. Why should you?
Also, follow the links in this post: http://www.corneredcat.com/wait-for-backup/
pax
Also, follow the links in this post: http://www.corneredcat.com/wait-for-backup/
pax
Frank Ettin
Administrator
Which does not change the basic fact that if you enter your house and there is an unknown number of bag guys willing to engage you inside, you will be at an extreme tactical disadvantage.Salmoneye said:
Sorry...
I am simply not calling the 'local' constabulary for an 'open door'...
"911, what's your emergency?"
"My door is open..."
"Well, maybe after our two officers get done directing traffic at the fatal accident on the highway, and the barn fire two towns over, I'll have one swing by..."
Not all localities here have 'police', and most people I know like it that way...We have no town police, the constable has been relegated to opening and closing the gate on the town beach, and the closest state barracks is 20 miles on back roads...We do occasionally pay the next town up to do 'traffic patrols' when school opens, just to remind people to slow down..."Sheriffs" around here run traffic duty on construction projects, and are process servers...
I guess I am glad that many of you live where cops can quickly come to run through your house because you left your door open, but around here they have better things to do with my tax dollars...
If I become a statistic, so be it...
I am simply not calling the 'local' constabulary for an 'open door'...
"911, what's your emergency?"
"My door is open..."
"Well, maybe after our two officers get done directing traffic at the fatal accident on the highway, and the barn fire two towns over, I'll have one swing by..."
Not all localities here have 'police', and most people I know like it that way...We have no town police, the constable has been relegated to opening and closing the gate on the town beach, and the closest state barracks is 20 miles on back roads...We do occasionally pay the next town up to do 'traffic patrols' when school opens, just to remind people to slow down..."Sheriffs" around here run traffic duty on construction projects, and are process servers...
I guess I am glad that many of you live where cops can quickly come to run through your house because you left your door open, but around here they have better things to do with my tax dollars...
If I become a statistic, so be it...
Frank Ettin
Administrator
Your call, and that's fine with me.Salmoneye said:
But for anyone who is concerned about his responsibilities to his family and leaving his family without his continued protection and support, there is no escaping the basic fact that:
One should not drive a tractor alone...
One should not use a chainsaw with no one near to phone for help...
One should not swim alone...
And on, and on...
The fact that all of these are more likely to get you killed than a pack of 'Bad Guys' in your house doesn't stop most of us from doing these mundane tasks on a daily basis...
Frank Ettin
Administrator
No one is trying to talk you into being prudent. We're providing the information for those who care sufficiently about their welfare and the welfare of their families to be interested in the tactically preferred methods of dealing with a situation.
zincwarrior
New member
Additionally you must live in areas where police respond to that sort of thing. Many don't. When I lived in one of the less attractive cities neighboring LA, police would have laughed at a call like that.
Hm. Every LEO I've talked to tells me that when someone calls the cops and says, "My front door is open and I think there may be an intruder in my home," they smile at the radio. Then they drive fast, lights on, grinning like maniacs the whole way. Why? Because it's a high-adrenalin, fun call, that's why! LEOs live for this sort of thing. Calls like that are why they got into LE work in the first place.
Obviously, they'll get a bit tired of you, and won't respond quickly or maybe at all, if you call them more often than "very rarely."
Then again, if you're stupid enough to leave your front door wide open behind you more often than "very rarely," well ...
pax
zincwarrior
New member
Yes I've only left my door open once, fortunately while walking the dogs and not with the dogs there to get out.
I did freak out a little and stepped into the doorway and let the dogs loose. None of them did anything unusual so I relaxed and check the house out.
Currently I work in one town and live with the family in another. When I return to the one location by myself with the big dog I'll let him go in first and stay in the doorway for a minute, getting bearings on if anything has occurred.
I did freak out a little and stepped into the doorway and let the dogs loose. None of them did anything unusual so I relaxed and check the house out.
Currently I work in one town and live with the family in another. When I return to the one location by myself with the big dog I'll let him go in first and stay in the doorway for a minute, getting bearings on if anything has occurred.
Yeah, dogs make a big difference in threat assessment. An unexpected open door without a dog could be anything -- but if you have a territorial dog that's not giving the alert, that's a lot safer of a situation to walk into.
Dogs aren't (necessarily) great security, but they're lovely alarm systems and especially in a situation like this.
pax
Dogs aren't (necessarily) great security, but they're lovely alarm systems and especially in a situation like this.
pax
zincwarrior
New member
Especially if they are the dread combination of 1) hyperalert sniffing machine wiener dog; and 2) Mountain dog that responds to noises from blocks away. 
Every living situation is different...Every locality is different...
While I understand fully the 'tactical' theory behind your suggestion to 'call for backup', it simply is not realistic in my situation to call the 'police' for an open door, nor is it needed...I see someone finally mentioned dogs...
How 'prudent'...
Frank Ettin
Administrator
zincwarrior said:
Again,none of that changes the basic, tactical reality that:Salmoneye said:
If someone believes he's fully capable of dealing with that situation, he might consider how much training he's had, how many exercises he's been put through in shoot-houses or simulators and how much force-on-force training he's had.
It's true there may be situations in which you will need to go in, e. g., a family member who may need immediate rescue. Or you may have other reasons for believing that you will have to go in. So maybe you should invest in some serious training.
Or maybe I have a glass fronted house that makes it impossible for anyone to hide anywhere inside...Maybe it is 4 rooms all with sliding glass doors...Maybe it is a one room shack with windows on all sides...
I did try to make you at least think about your 'one size fits all' answer, but "Every living situation is different...Every locality is different" seems to have been ignored out of hand...
You have no idea what 'training' I have from a few lines on the internet...Nothing of what security I may or may not have...Webcams streamed to my iPhone?...
As I have stated (ad nauseam now)...I understand what you are saying...
It simply does not apply to me in MY situation...
Why this seems to bother you to the point of being insulting, is baffling...
I did try to make you at least think about your 'one size fits all' answer, but "Every living situation is different...Every locality is different" seems to have been ignored out of hand...
You have no idea what 'training' I have from a few lines on the internet...Nothing of what security I may or may not have...Webcams streamed to my iPhone?...
As I have stated (ad nauseam now)...I understand what you are saying...
It simply does not apply to me in MY situation...
Why this seems to bother you to the point of being insulting, is baffling...