While I was working the Metro area I have had calls that made me think about strategically where you would locate your home based on your capabilities and where the responsibility of home security should be placed.Call numero uno: A retired city couple who lived in one of the remotest NW parts of our county was having trouble with a Redneck in a pickup truck who was making threats to kick in the homeowner's door and kill his dogs and family. Their idea was that we could stay near their home and pretty much act as security guards for their home. They were not happy when they got an answer they didn't want. Considering we run with four guys on a shift for a 432 square mile county averaging 10 to 20 calls total a shift it was a no go. I explained him that he was responsible for the security of his own home. He shook his head. The homeowner said he had firearms. However, talking to him you could see the mindset to protect his family was not there. Future Victim.
Call numero dos: Another older family that had retired to their dream property of over 200 acres on the South side of the county is having trouble with Hunters trespassing on their property late at night. Their means of defense is their teenage son to check out who is outside while law enforcement is being called. Their driveway is almost two miles long and not marked clearly from the road. I passed the driveway twice before I found the small post in tall grass with the house number on it. That made my response time even greater. They didn't have any firearms in the home. If someone decided to invade their home they were left to their own devices to hold someone off till we showed up. The lady there wanted me to check the entire property. I looked around the back of the home. She was surrounded by fields that are farther out than my patrol carbine could reach. That was yet another no go. I looked around the main part of the home and bid her good night after finding no immediate threats.
Call numero tres: Myself and my supervisor were dispatched to a prowler call on one of the many farms that dot the area. The call came out that they saw someone in their barn and have barricaded them inside. I got their first to find about 8 family members where many were able bodied males had surrounded a barn with their cars with their high beams on. They had barricaded the doors so nobody could get out. I asked the home owner if he had actually seen anyone. He stated that he hadn't just saw "some lights." I looked around seeing the crowd that was forming and asked him what he wanted us to do about it? He replied that he wanted us to search the barn. By that time I had already started giving him the look that I gave my last wife when she wanted me to kill a spider for her. Needless to say there was no one in the barn except spiders and car parts. I left shaking my head.
Our county is very rural. There has been times during day shift where it has taken me up to 30 minutes to get from one side of the county to another on calls of service. Folks, if you expect emergency services to come to your home in a timely manner do a few things for us. Number one is making sure your home is clearly marked. I have gone on county roads for over a mile and every single mail box would not have any type of identification on it. I'm sorry that you are getting your brains beat in. When I found out where you live I'll be glad to show up and help. Number 2 is make sure my dispatcher you talk to when you call 911 knows what is going on and tell us what the house looks like. Just calling 911 and saying, "get the cops here." and hanging up will raise a few red flags. This slows me down in yet another way. I don't know what I am rolling into. That means I am going to wait for another Law Enforcement Officer to arrive before going in. I'm going home at night. And never plan on going in alone unless I just have to. If you are bleeding out from a fight guess what. The ambulance will not go in until law enforcement shows up to secure the scene for them. That even makes our response time even longer. Law Enforcement as a whole is a reactive service. 90% of the time we show up AFTER the damage has been done or we have to make a chalk outline.
There have been countless Supreme Court cases where Law Enforcement has been taken to court because a single person was not protected. These cases have ruled that Law Enforcement has NO REQUIREMENT to protect the individual without a special relationship. They are required to protect the public at large. I also have an oath to protect the constitution of the state of Tennessee and that of the United States of America. When seconds count, emergency services are minutes away.
Please do not get me wrong. I have broke bones and bled to help the helpless in a dangerous crisis. I have hearing loss from discharging firearms in enclosed spaces to try to save a life. If I have to I will put my life at risk to help the innocent. Please realize that you must take responsibility for the security of your own home and property till emergency services does get there.
That is all.............carry on.
Tim Davis, Jr. is a full time law Enforcement Professional, martial arts, and a part time firearms instructor. He has firearms experience spanning over 15 years ranging from several schools in advanced tactical response, running a Law Enforcement Tactical unit to time spent in Afghanistan working with their law enforcement program. Tim is the co-owner of Appropriate Action in Englewood TN.
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