DU POLL: Would you readily call the cops if you needed help?

[RKP5637]

I would have at one time, but now I would hesitate. I'm just curious what DU thinks.

76 votes, 2 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Yes, absolutely. I trust the cops explicitly, no problem at all, I would call.
	38 (50%)
	Depends on the situation, but I would probably be hesitant.
	33 (43%)
	No way.
	1 (1%)
	Depending on the color of my skin, I might be hesitant to call a cop for help for me.
	4 (5%)
	2 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[yardwork]

1. Consider carefully before calling the police.

[RKP5637]

2. Yep, too many are on the edge for many reasons. I think it's way too easy today for a situation to

get totally out of control.

[HereSince1628]

3. I don't understand the use of 2nd person in the 4th response

As other of the responses are first person, you seem to be setting up a response that is

My calling the cops depends on the color of YOUR skin. I don't think the color of your skin would much influence my decision to call the cops if I needed help dealing with -you-.

[RKP5637]

6. tell me how to better word it and I'll change it! n/t

[RKP5637]

7. I just changed it! Thanks! n/t

[BlueCaliDem]

4. Depending on the situation - and very hesitant. eom

[MH1]

5. "Yes, absolutely, if I needed help that would outweigh my concerns, but of course, I'm white."

That's my answer. Not quite the same as your first option. I don't trust them explicitly, but have high confidence that they would deal with me in an acceptable way.

It might also depend on the nature and severity of my issue.

[RKP5637]

9. I do think there are many good cops, but on the other hand I think there are quite a few bad ones,

or ones severely on the edge for lots of reasons.

[tblue37]

53. If you have a dog, don't call them, because they seem to shoot any dog ina

home or yard, even if it doesn't threaten them.

[treestar]

68. I was going to say that too

But no matter what the color of one's skin, calling them for help is different from dealing with them unexpectedly in the street.

[sharp_stick]

8. Where I live absolutely

In other places I've lived I would really need the cops.

[Hoyt]

10. In most cases better than calling George Zimmerman or grabbing your own gun. I do get the

point of OP though, and it's a good one.

[AntiBank]

11. Yes, because I live in Sweden, but would think twice if in the US

I have had horrid experiences with cops in NYC, Los Angeles and Chicago (the WORST, fucking goons from hell). I will say these were all in the 1980's and early 1990's, as I have been an expat for most of the rest of the time.

[RKP5637]

15. It's really pretty scary in some parts of the US. I don't know who I'm more scared of, calling the

cops or dealing with whatever. In D.C., I once had an off duty cop put a sawed off gun to my head through the car window because I made a right turn on red by mistake. Charges were dropped by the duty office at the station. He realized how F'ed up the situation was. I lived in another city in the US where cops would pull you over if your car was not rather new. Weird!

It generally all depends where you live in the US. I think I trust country/state cops better than local cops.

[Rex]

12. I would in the town I live in, because I know them personally.

Any other situation it depends on what is going on at the time.

[dubyadiprecession]

13. The police have been made into eunuchs in florida..

The stand your ground law is just a license to commit premeditated murder. It was created by the states idiotic republican legislature. They all must lose this fall!

[RKP5637]

18. Most republicans are absolute idiots! n/t

[phylny]

14. Yes, because I have white privilege as a white woman.

Even at traffic stops, I'm treated respectfully. I wish all my fellow citizens were treated as politely.

[stage left]

24. This is my answer, too.

For exactly the same reasons.

[nadine_mn]

45. Would *I* call..yes, because I am female and light skinned and middle class

Part Hispanic, but definitely favor my Scandinavian side so I have very little to fear.

Change any of those factors, esp skin color and the answer would be no.

[spooky3]

59. That is how I would reply, too.

[melman]

16. Depends on the situation

I don't generally trust them but there are some situations where you'd just have to call.

[RKP5637]

19. Yep, I have the same thoughts on this. n/t

[socialist_n_TN]

17. It really depends on the situation, but in most cases.........

calling the cops would be a last resort. I came to the conclusion a LONG time ago that when seconds matter, cops are minutes away. IOW, an emergency situation of self-defense it wouldn't do a lot of good calling them anyway. If I killed or injured somebody in self-defense, I would feel like I have to do so, but I would REALLY be nervous about it and it would be AFTER the situation was resolved one way or another. There was a time in my life that I was threatened with death and I called the cops and reported it, so that it would be on record IF I had to defend myself.

So as I said, it depends on the circumstances, but it would be a last resort for emergencies only and not just because some kids are walking on my lawn. Or to report on something that has already happened or to get a record for something that MIGHT happen.

Edited to add: I'm a white male and in my 60s. And it would STILL be as a last resort.

[RKP5637]

21. Yep, same here, as a last resort. n/t

[forjusticethunders]

20. I'd be VERY hesitant to call the police

Or advise a person of color to.

I'm a black male who nearly (as in had a gun to my back) got shot by a cop.

[RKP5637]

23. Sometimes cops just escalate a situation. I once called because my neighbor across the hall had

about 25 newspapers piled up in front of her door. I thought she might be in trouble. So a cop shows up, a wise ass, and says basically WTF do you want me to do, pick them up for you. I replied of course not, I thought she might be in trouble. So he turns and does a jerky cop walk down the hall and leaves the building. Like WTF. Yeah, right, call if something seems suspicious. I'll NEVER do that again.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

22. I think this also depends on where you live in the US.

I have no concerns about the police where I live. Crime is also not a huge issue here.

[Adrahil]

25. Me? I'm an upper-middle class white guy. I'm safe...

But if I was black? I would be very hesitant.

[drray23]

26. last resort

I am white and still I would be worried. They might not shoot me but they could decide to shoot my dogs. My labrador rushes everybody to get patted. She could get shot. Cops have been known to do that.

[RKP5637]

27. Yep, that's what I'm concerned about too, cops getting out of control and doing strange

things.

[Marthe48]

28. Depends on situation

Teens were high and running wild through our neighborhood. Some of the younger neighbors tried to stop them --one of them beat up a 12 year old boy, the gang tore up Christmas decorations. Our car was vandalized and there were fistfights between the young neighbors and the teens. The cops had been called once, and didn't take the teens in. Someone called the cops again and they arrested at least 2 of the teens. The next morning, some relatives of the teens came back to our neighborhood with the intent of beating up one of the neighbors who'd been in a fistfight with one of the teens. So somebody called the cops again. They warned the relatives to stay off our street or get arrested. And detained 2 underage kids to be picked up at the police station by their parents. So in that case, the cops did their job, sort of. I would have liked to see the adult relatives arrested instead of warned.

In my old neighborhood, one of my neighbors has an adult son. He came to 'visit' and stayed. He is abusive and controlling. One of the first nights he was there, she called my husband and me to come over because he had shoved the refrigerator against the wall and knocked things off it, broke those and then broke the toilet tank lid. We got them calmed down, but from then on, I didn't like or trust the son. She called the cops on him one night after that. She said she wanted him out of her house. He has no claim to the house, but the cops said he had been there long enough, she'd have to evict him to get him out. I got her ok to contact elder protection and she had a caseworker. I hope that having a caseworker protected her. He finally left and she swore that she'd never let him come back. That was a few years ago. Right before we moved, she told me he had quit drinking and he was going to come for a 3 month visit. That was almost 2 years ago and he is still there and she is selling her house and moving just to get rid of him. He is just as abusive and controlling and she is so unhappy. I think the cops were ignorant of the law and should have gotten him out when she called them. He was threatening her. And it is escalating-she told me he has pushed her twice. She accuses him and he says he just brushed past her through a door. With steps. Yeah, right.

Everyone involved in both incidents are white.

[RKP5637]

29. OMG! This, is horrible!!! n/t

[Marthe48]

34. yes, it is

We moved back to our old neighborhood because of illness, hope that he knows we're watching. I'm glad to say that things like this don't happen in our lives very often, but I don't like the unpleasantness. Who does? I can't imagine living with stress like that all the time, as so many people have to do.

[RKP5637]

36. Sometimes situations just seem to continue to escalate no matter how logically one

tries to resolve them. Wow!!!

[Bradical79]

56. The law on kicking someone out gets wierd in some places

In some cities I know after someone has been there a certain amount of time you have to go through a lengthy eviction process as if they are a renter. Doesn't matter if they are squating, paying rent, etc.

[gwheezie]

30. Depends

It would have to be drastic. Last year on 4th a young fella was causing problems because he was drunk and fell off his bike in the middle of the road blocking traffic. This was in a largely black neighborhood. Young fella was fucked up and not processing well and finally I told him if he didn't get his ass up off the road people would start running him over so I talked to him a bit and he was trying to get to his momma's house a block away. So I put his bike in the back of my truck and drove him to his momma and told her to keep him in the house until he was sober.
My thought was if I called the police they would either take him to jail or a hospital when he just needed to sleep it off.

[RKP5637]

32. ... or it might have severely escalated depending on which cops arrived. n/t

[Marthe48]

35. Well done :)

n/t

[gwheezie]

48. I had an ulterior motive

The hospital they would have taken him to was where I worked.
I used to do crisis and pact team nursing so I would go to people's home by myself to talk to my patients, I'm white female most of my patients are black, I'm not afraid of young black males, if I was I could not do my job. I also assessed young fella and while initially he thought I was trying to steal his bike, he did calm down and frankly he was in a T-shirt and shirts, clearly not armed and too drunk to fight. He was not a belligerent drunk and was mostly boohooing about his momma.
His momma thanked me profusely and I told her if she was concerned about him, she could bring him right to our er and give them my name and I'd come down to the er.

[RandySF]

31. I appreciated the fast response from SFPD

When laughing drunks broke the window next to our bed as my partner and our 3-month old son were sleeping, and taunted us. I take it you never had cause to call for help.

[RKP5637]

33. Definitely, that is one of the times to call!!! n/t

[Kingofalldems]

37. Would not hesitate. Montgomery County Md. police are totally professional.

[RKP5637]

38. Yep, I think it depends mostly on the area. n/t

[Kingofalldems]

41. Exactly. One of the reasons I won't visit the South is the cops

are very aggressive down there.

[herding cats]

39. Maybe.

I have in the past with mixed results. I've learned to weigh the circumstances since then.

There are times when I would call without hesitation, and others when I'd try another route now. It just depends.

[RKP5637]

40. Yep, it's difficult to have one feeling, there are often so many variables. n/t

[raven mad]

42. I trust the ones here.

Elsewhere? Nope.

[Ex Lurker]

43. I don't trust anyone explicitly, but I would not hesitate to call in an emergency

Nothing is guaranteed, but they're my best chance.

[RKP5637]

44. Yep! n/t

[Nye Bevan]

46. How often does someone (of any race) who calls the police, end up being shot by them?

I can't think of a single example of this happening, ever. Can anyone else?

[REP]

50. Several where police have been called on a mentally ill family member, who ends up shot dead

There was one recently near where I live, where a mentally ill 19 year old girl holding a power drill was shot by police after her family called the police to intervene.

[RobinA]

62. This Is The One

situation where I would hesitate to call the police unless I knew they were trained. I worked in community mental health and some cops were great with our people. Unfortunately, many cops' just aggravate the situation. Normal police tactics work the opposite with the mentally ill population and people end up dead.

[romanic]

47. Absolutely.

I don't mistrust the police at all, just want them to get the bad ones out.

[arely staircase]

51. I can't imagine a situation in which I would call them. If I shot an armed

intruder in the middle of the night? That is so unlikely to ever happen just statistically and because of a large canine that loves me very much yes she does. But on the outside chance someone makes it past the a big loyal mut in her den she will have surely slowed them down enough for me to unlock my closet and remove a teigger lock. Im not a gun nut but I am not counting on the local Barnie Fife's to come to my rescue. I am not afraid of them because I am pretty white and middle aged. They don't pick on people like me.

Someone broke in my house once. A guy came out and wrote some shit down.

Well there you go. I would call them if the insurance company needed a report for a claim on a theft. Of my own accord. No.

[Lunabell]

52. Scary now

I have thought in advance what I would do to prevent being shot. Well, being an old white woman sort of helps, but these days, who knows?

[BainsBane]

54. Yes. I'm white.

My white privilege gives me access to police services.
I'd call about a crime, if that's what you mean by help.

[DanTex]

57. Pretty much what I was going to say.

I've had no problems ever with the cops, except for the occasional speeding ticket, during which there was no suspicion of anything, no drawing of weapons, just writing me up. And I actually was speeding. Same thing when my registration was expired.

Then there was the time in high school where my friends and I got caught doing something we shouldn't have been. No problem, but they did decide to pick the one black guy out of five of us and take him down to the station (they let him go as soon as we drove down there with a parent to pick him up, he wasn't in a cell or anything, just sitting there in the waiting area, but it was pretty weird how they chose the black kid).

So, yeah, I'd call the cops in a second. About a crime, or just to ask for directions, or whatever. Cops treat me the way cops should treat citizens. It's a damn shame they can't do that to all citizens.

[Vinca]

55. You can't lump all cops together and label them as bad.

That's a Trumpian tactic, more commonly used against Muslims.

[RKP5637]

60. Definitely an excellent point!!! n/t

[Bucky]

58. I won't say "I expect no problem at all" but I do know that if someone's in danger...

having the cops there is more likely to de-escalate the situation. I don't quit going to the doctor just because malpractice happens from some physicians.

[RKP5637]

61. I think the majority of cops are OK, but I also think there are some really bad ones.

I've met some really nice cops, highly professional and helped me a lot in a couple of situations. Then, I've met some bad ones. Probably a lot has to do with where one is when they call and then what station, and the situation. There are a lot of variables in play.

[Bucky]

64. I saw someone online compare it to Muslims and Islamic-fueled terrorists

Actually Muslims do a slightly better job denouncing and turning in violent members of their community compared to cops turning on those members of their fraternity who are inclined to use violence to resolve troubling situations.

[RKP5637]

67. Yep, I think that's the core of the problem. The bad cops often get a free pass from their

fellow cops.

[dembotoz]

63. funny i hit the yes button but switched to a maybe not

and i am an old white guy in the very white gop suburbs......
couple jury duties was an eye opening experience

[RKP5637]

65. Anymore I would be hesitant, but it would not stop me from calling depending on

the circumstances.

[treestar]

66. Calling them when you are in trouble in different than

them trying to arrest you. None of these incidents occurred when a cop was called. The build in "I trust them" is not needed either.

They are not so bad that when you call them they are out to find a way to shoot you.

[DrDan]

69. without hesitation

[Iggo]

70. Not today. (n/t)

[TheKentuckian]

71. Hesitant almost to the point of hell no. It would have to either be beyond awful or

strictly administrative like needing a report for insurance.