For context, this happened to me this morning. TL,DR: cops pounded on my door at 5AM claiming I had dialed 911 and hung up; the whole thing was apparently caused by a phone malfunction. I was shaking when it was all over. There are home invasions in Ann Arbor from time to time, and IMHO a stranger pounding on your door at 5AM rarely means something good is about to happen.
I have thought from time to time in the past that it might be wise to keep a gun for home defense, but I would not feel comfortable doing so without regularly visiting a range to maintain proficiency, and thoroughly understanding the rules of engagement and laws regarding self-defense. In other words, I would need to make gun ownership something of a hobby - and I’m just not that passionate about shooting guns as a sport.
And then after this morning I wondered what would have happened if I had answered the door with a gun in my hand. What would I have done when I saw it was the cops? What would they have done when they saw my gun?
If you keep a gun for home defense, what would you do if someone was pounding on your door relentlessly at 5AM? Would you answer the door with gun in hand? What would you do after confirming that it was the police instead of a potential invader?
If you are a cop knocking on someone’s door at 5AM, how do you deal with a person who answers that door with gun in hand?
If I had a knock on the door at 5AM I might have a pistol in my hand, turn the porch light on, ask them to step into the light so I could see them through the window and speak to them through the door to see what they wanted. I would imagine seeing and/or hearing whoever it was would quickly quell any fears, but doesn’t hurt to be prepared.
Exactly what I was about to say, control-z. I would have my gun but whoever was at the door would probably not see it, unless they were trying to break in. Well, even then they might not see it, I guess.
I expect that burglars and others who mean me harm don’t knock.
I have a window next to my front door. So I flick on the light and look to see who is pounding. If it is the police, I put the gun on the table in the front room, put the dog (who barks enthusiastically whenever anyone knocks, but politely runs to the top of the stairs and waits nicely if the door bell is rung) into his cage, and open the door. If it is anyone else I don’t recognize, I don’t point the gun at anyone but I don’t put it down either. And I hold the dog by his collar until the stranger explains his existence.
About 20 years ago, at 11 PM, I did have a knock on the door. I had a pistol in my hand and asked who it was. It turned out to be the County Police. They were happy to wait while I put the pistol away.
Yes, I’ve read accounts like that too. Sometimes a person or persons will knock on your door trying to scam you or scope your property, and if the situation presents itself force their way in.
After visually identifying that there were police officers pounding on my door, the 1st thing I would do is call 9-1-1 and ask them if they had actually dispatched officers to my address. If they had, I would identify myself to the officer at the door, tell them that I had 9-1-1 on the phone (land line or mobile), and ask them what they wanted. If 9-1-1 had not dispatched officers to my address, I would tell them to get someone over here PDQ before someone gets hurt.
The problem is establishing two-way trust, isn’t it? Based on my understanding of the scenario, which I admit comes entirely from TV and/or movies, the police would be standing to the sides of the door when they thumped, specifically to avoid being blasted through it. I assume they would also avoid standing in front of a window. How do they prove they are really police while at the same time not making themselves targets?
I personally know of at least one fly-by-night cop uniform shop that will sell Any of what it has to Anyone, hires 3/4 illegal workers, and has few if any inventory controls (because the owners fight and can’t get their sh-t straight). I know they have NYC uniforms as well as some NJ stuff. A uniform is just a prop until I’m convinced otherwise.
I don’t answer the door, I don’t turn on lights. I will get dressed. I definitely call 9-11 and report an active Home Invasion with armed intruders pretending to be police officers. (It happens a LOT in NJ; You should see the Dick-Heads who try to pull you over on the GSP with phony green flashing lights. 1-800-CYA-KATO. )
Then I hope my door braces & multiple 2x4 Barricade Brackets hold until the Real cops arrive.
Pretty much this although I may just call 911 while I’m turning the porch light on. If it isn’t the cops and I get rushed, an open line into the real cops isn’t a bad thing to have. That tape could be critical if I have to shoot.
Some years ago, real cops had a real search warrant and decided not to knock, but just break down the door and come in guns blazing at 4 AM. It ended badly with one cop dead and the guy’s wife shot, but not dead. They charged him with murder but he was acquitted. His gun was licenced, but to a different address, so they charged him with a gun violation. I don’t know what happened with that. This was somewhere north of Montreal, where the gun laws are fairly strict. They didn’t find any drugs, BTW, which is what they were searching for.
The last time cops pounded on my door at 5am, it was a case of mistaken address. they were actually looking for my neighbor. After checking to see it was really the cops (lights going on the car, two of them, etc.) opened the door but not the screen. I’ll admit to being not-very-cooperative with the asshole who was demanding I tell him where the person he was looking for was. I didn’t even recognize the name. He didn’t believe me until his partner noticed they were at the wrong house. Didn’t even get an apology for the rude awakening.
Now, as then, I would answer the door with gun in hand, but out of sight.
Wow. I have to say that the responses on this thread are really surprising to me. I had this exact problem with the phone lines being crossed about 20 years ago, with the cops and the phone company both insisting that the empty apartment of our duplex was dialing 911 and hanging up.
It took months to get straightened out, and the cops came five or six times, at all hours. It wasn’t pleasant, mind you, because hubby and I were frequent pot smokers back then, and the ‘cop knock’ is pretty alarming.
But they are required to check on 911 hangups if they can’t get someone back on the line, in case someone has passed out or been injured or taken hostage or whatever. They weren’t there to harass us, they were just doing their jobs. We were polite and cooperative, they were (mostly) polite and just as happy to leave as soon as they were sure nothing was actually going on.
Anyhow, hope the phone company gets it fixed faster for you!
Hmm. I believe there’s more than one style of home invasion and knocking hard with àn excuse is one. That said, a peek out the window will probably tell you if it’s actually the cops. But that also said, pretty fucking sure I wouldn’t want the cops to notice there was a guy caŕrying a gun in the house.
a little off topic, but why the door braces and reinforcement? If a person is violent and really wants to bust into your house without keepng quiet, why would he work hard to kick down a heavy wooden door, when there is (usually) a large window with easily breakable glass right next to it?
Wouldn’t your gun would be more useful than the door braces?