I’ve called 911 twice for cars off the road, just for them to send a tow truck.
And my apartment was broken into in DC and on instinct I called the police, but of course they weren’t really going to pursue it. They went through the motions of dusting for fingerprints.
Oh, I can rage anywhere. The “machine”, huh ? I like that term. We used to call it “the establishment”. Things change, but often just the terminology, not the thing itself. We baby-boomers can be full of crap, sometimes, I’ll confess. But the question of police abuse of power has been around a long time. And it was we post WWII hippies who first began to challenge the abuse of power in America and of authority in general. We changed the world, we hippies, and in many a positive way. Just wanted to remind some of you of that.
Well the phrase is from The Communist Manifesto, first published in 1847, so not exactly a new phrase the kids are spouting today.
The last time I called the cops was when my daughter was raped. Before that I had a neighbor who threatened to kill me because my little girl called her crazy (which she was, clearly!). Before that I called them over gunshots from next door. Turned out they were just using our back fence for target practice. NO BIGGIE RIGHT??? Before that my SO was robbed and beaten. Around the same time I called because our car was stolen. Years before I had a roommate that lost her mind and I had to lock myself in the bathroom while she went around the house breaking things and threatening to kill me.
Gotta love Memphis!
Oh, I forgot that. Before 1847, what was it called ? Feudalism, or God’s social order, or something ? Because the oppression of some People by other People has a long, long history.
Yea, I have heard the term “machine” in this context before. Anyway, I think of all of these terms simply as the continued stuggle for individual liberty and equality.
I did a few weeks ago when I was in the DT of a fast food restaurant. In front of me was a pickup truck with a young male driver and sitting in the bed were two young females. I know that is not safe.
I may be older than you think.
Kids today with their “If we have chosen the position in life in which we can most of all work for mankind, no burdens can bow us down, because they are sacrifices for the benefit of all; then we shall experience no petty, limited, selfish joy, but our happiness will belong to millions, our deeds will live on quietly but perpetually at work, and over our ashes will be shed the hot tears of noble people.”
I’ve called the cops 4 times:
The first was when I lived in a town with a maximum security prison. I was driving home and saw a guy trying to hitchhike. I called the non-emergency number and explained that I was worried that the guy might need a ride or something, but they knew there was the possibility that the guy was an escapee. I never knew what happened on that one.
The second was when at 17 year old kid knocked on my front door, claiming that he was being chased by a group of other kids and that he was scared and needed to call home. I brought out the cordless phone and gave it to him while he was still on the front porch. He immediately refused it claiming that he would probably be ok. He then took off. I called 911 and had the police out within 10 minutes. I explained what happened and where I saw the kid taking off to. I never found out what happened. I suspect the kid was trying to case my house so he could rob it later.
The third was on a sunny afternoon about 10 years ago. I was in my kitchen when I saw a guy cross the street toward my house, walked right between my house and the neighbor, then walk through my back yard to the next road where I saw a group of kids arguing. I watched for about 5 minutes as the kids were yelling at each other. When I saw a kid start shaking his fist at another, I knew I had better do something, so I called 911. While I was on the call, I saw one of the kids grab a shovel and throw it. The police were there within 5 minutes and broke it up before anyone got hurt.
The fourth was when I got rear-ended on my way back to work from lunch. The guy got out of his car, looked at mine and proceeded to try to convince me that the damage was not that bad. Then when I told him I would call 911, he begged me not to because he already was driving on a suspended license. He said he could go to the bank right then and get me $500 to make repairs. I wouldn’t have it and made the call. The officer who came out turned out to be a guy I knew from high school. He cleared me to go and I don’t know what became of the other guy.
Did he at least pay for the damage to your car?
Curious here as well. I had a guy clip the front corner of my POS Ford Escort once. He told me he had no insurance and his license was suspended. He offered me money, we walked to an ATM, and he paid me. Had I called the cops, maybe my uninsured driver coverage would have paid?
In that case the party at fault would have owed you the deductible, and would have owed your insurance company the amount they paid out on the claim. Since that person had the means to pay you without getting the insurance company involved, he also would have had the means to pay both you and the insurance company. It would have worked out pretty much the same.
I’d say it’s about equally easy. I seldom go to my basement just to rage, unless there’s laundry to change, too.
Maybe, a little. I’ve lived in tough neihborhoods most of my life and have never owned a weapon of any kind, nor would I. I prefer to believe I learned how to co-exist better than most others.
Regarding the original question: hundreds of times. The majority were work related questions but I have called police at least a hundred times to provide information or report crimes as needed. I have followed a few drunks in my day.
Over the years while listening to scanners I have often heard a call go out, discover I am nearby and I have found I am able to discern more information and report that to help the response; ie: “Northbound lanes slow shoulder”, “Minor injuries”, or “The alleged drunk appears to be driving a Cadillac, license plate XXXXX”.
With the move towards full encryption of many police radios the days of being helpful are quickly diminishing.
He did not pay me for the damage, but then the damage wasn’t that extensive. Just a bent tailpipe. He was much more worried about having me call the police and I was so pissed, I did just that.
I’m going to be 75 next month…so yes I have called the cops on at least 6 times over my lifetime. Not always to report something bad. Like the time they came pounding on my rental door at 3 AM, Timetrvlr was working in a prison on night shift that night nearly gave me a heart attack. They were trying to report a death in someones family but for a previous tenant. The next day I called them to complain about the kids and I being awakened for that and scaring me half to death. A death report can very well wait for a decent hour in the morning for pretty much everyone.
About 9 years ago I was the victim of identity theft. Someone cloned my debit card and proceeded to empty my account with multiple in-person purchases at a BORDERS. After getting off the phone with my Credit Union I called the police non-emergency line. They told me to come in and file a report. I showed up and the desk cop said I had to go to the city where the crime was committed in…that seemed weird, but this just meant going from LA to Pasadena. The kicker was…the police station was two blocks from the Borders where the crime was committed. I still knew there was no way they’d even lift a finger to investigate.
After moving into a new apartment, a few days later we could hear a fight breakout at a party across the street that then quickly ended up in the street (which led to the joke between me and my wife of “What kind of neighborhood did you move me to?”) I called the police and they arrived and broke it up within a few minutes.
Same apartment, heard a car crash out front and went outside to see a car very slowly driving away from having hit a parked car (my neighbor’s car–he preferred to park on the street instead of the lot because… lazy?). Called the cops and they had a helicopter out looking for the driver within 5 minutes. Even though there were several witnesses to the actual collision none of them wanted to be a “witness” so I gave my information. I actually was subpoenaed to appear in court for the driver’s trial but didn’t get called.
Not counting dozens of calls over my radio when I was an EMT?
Yeah, a few times over the years. Indigent injured person. Car broken into, then finally stolen. I’ve had to call the F.B.I. a few times too.
But nothing compares with these calls to the Pittsburgh Police Department.
My four year old son, who is referred to around these parts as the Man-Cub™.
My 2 1/2 year old daughter, the Fem-Bot™.
We’re in Pittsburgh, visiting the (now Ex-)wife’s parents. The kids are upstairs playing quietly. Doorbell rings. We answer. Two of Pittsburgh’s Finest are at the door.
" Is there an emergency here? "
Um. No. Why?
" Every few minutes, from the phone number listed for this address, our 911 Operators get the following call:
" Hello? 911? Can you come and arrest my sister? TEEEHEEEETEEEEHEEEEHEEEE !!! ~~ Click "
Wait a few minutes. Repeat.
We went and got the kids and the nice police officers sat down and had a very gentle conversation with a very overwhelmed 4 year old. A somewhat…weepy… 4 year old.
It was VERY hard to maintain a stern face during the proceedings…
Had to call the police a couple days ago. On the commute to work someone slammed into me while I was stopped at a red light. The car is drivable but needs about 3k in repairs.