Be forewarned about calling the cops - they may not come.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

Bear with me while I rant a little.....

I live in a low-income suburban neighborhood in a large metropolitan city with several parallel streets and properties having adjacent companion rear fences. Therefore, I get noises from front, two sides and the rear. I am admittedly highly sensitive to noises. Many homes here are occupied by retirees, widows and widowers like me from the days when it was more of a middle-income subdivision.

We have a fellow on the next street over whose property is not directly behind me but instead catty-cornered and behind my next door neighbor's place, but offset by about a half a lot due to the crazy way lots were divided. The fellow has been a constant nuisance for years and apparently works on cars in his garage. His vehicles have loud mufflers and he ran a small gas engine for hours each night last year outside the garage, apparently a compressor for painting cars. I reported that to the police and it stopped after some delay (I think he was pissing others off as well).

Suddenly, a few months ago we started hearing loud bangs or explosions from that direction. One night in February, I actually witnessed them setting off some sort of charge near their back deck and reported it to the cops. I believe the cops talked to them and it quietened for a while

Last night, after hearing two the night before, they set off two and one of them sounded like a partial stick of dynamite. It literally shook the back of my house.

I called the police and the lady seemed almost disinterested. After dancing in circles with her over this obvious disturbance of the peace, she finally told me our metro police are not responding to any non-life threatening calls at all due to the coronavirus crisis so cops can minimize their exposure to the public. The dispatcher recorded my info and that was the end of it.

The reason I'm fearful of this situation is that considering this family's past disregard for being a good neighbor, it's entirely possible they are a bunch of nutjobs building explosive devises for use in insurrection, or just to annoy poor people in fear because they can.

I also worry we may experience a sudden rise in crime here, once the petty thieves and vandals learn cops are not going to respond. Coincidentally, we may as well see a rise in shootings here as people take the law in their own hands.

I'm posting this so my fellow DUers can be forewarned this may happen where you live and so you can increase your security awareness.

KY rant done.......

[global1]

1. So Much For - See Something, Say Something....nt

[KY_EnviroGuy]

7. I don't think our general public is aware of this situation so.....

I just called one of the local TV stations, told their desk my story and they are going to investigate. We'll see if this security concern gets broadcast to the public.

[lindysalsagal]

2. While stores are closed, the looting starts....

Not a good scenario.....

[magicarpet]

3. Thanks for your perspectives,... will keep an eye out.

[Laelth]

4. Sounds like a valid rant to me ...

... and I appreciate the heads up re. the possibly of lax police response during the pandemic. Thank you.

-Laelth

[MissB]

5. So you state you are in fear of your life when you call

If that’s the case

[ansible]

6. Of course they won't, they're a for-profit business first and foremost

Only a fool would genuinely believe cops would actually protect you

[hunter]

8. That's the way it's always been in my city.

If you call the cops about petty thefts and vandalism they'll direct you to a form you can fill out on their web site. If you are persistent they might even file a report for your insurance company.

I always think long and hard before calling the police anyways. I'd feel horrible if they shot someone.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

9. That's a shame.

Perhaps a combination of terrorism training after 9-11 and decades of right-wing budget cuts.

Few cops on the street but they're ready for an invasion of troops from Greenland......

Also causes far too many citizens to arm themselves.....