CPS called on me and girlfriend because I own guns.

[jackdanson]

GF needs new friends.

OP needs new GF.

 

[HeavenlySword]

good luck.

Reading the older topic, I realized that the spiteful bitch (your gf's friend) would pull something, like calling the cops- but this is even more low, because she doesn't have any risk- suing her won't go far (this time, at least) and she did put you guys under an enormous amount of stress.

 

[Smith]

Wow. A vindictive friend trying to get her "friend"'s kids taken away? That's low.

 

[Old Guy]

The CPS worker did her job. They have to pursue every complaint and examine it thoroughly.

They have a lot of power and authority too. I know a lady who used to be a Social worker. We were discussing all that stuff about warrants and what not. CPS is above the Constitution. They can bring a law officer and go in your house without a warrant.

If you saw some of the conditions that are investigated by CPS, it is kind of easy to understand the initial contact attitude.

To protect the children is the bottom line. Good luck with your family.

 

[Deanimator]

If you saw some of the conditions that are investigated by CPS, it is kind of easy to understand the initial contact attitude.

To protect the children is the bottom line. Good luck with your family.

Last Sunday I went [armed] with a lawyer friend to a two flat in Cleveland to take some evidence photos for him. The residents were being evicted for failure to pay rent. The second I entered, I was greeted by the overwhelming smell of marijuana. When the lawyer asked about that, they said it was the "black mold" in the basement. I told my friend he should have asked them, "If you've got that much dope in the basement, how come you can't pay the rent?"

The place was a mess (even MY place is cleaner). Strangely, there were several large flat screen TVs, DVD players and game consoles present where they can't "afford" to pay the rent.

 

[DeepSouth]

I say get NRA membership for the "friends" just for giggles, you know as a sign of peace.

And +1 on telling GF to get new friends

 

[Yo Mama]

The first question at the door for any CPS type is "do you have a warrant".

And you're much better off if you can record the conversation with a tape or cam corder.

They can and will lie to you, telling you that they have this or that authority... and they haven't broken any rules or laws.

They are accountable to no one...

Reality is.... no warrant... no power to do anything.

They can take your kids away from you and put them in foster care with a pedophile and you have not recourse against them after the damage is done.

They don't need a warrent. They work for the court and investigate. If a warrent is needed, police are there to remove the children. I do agree to tape everything, and they can lie. They are accountable, very accountable. I have worked with CPS for years, and know many a Case Manager who have been sanctioned. There is legal actions available, and recourse happens all the time in the form of lawsuits. AZ has like 100 current lawsuits going at this time.

Problem with CPS is the lack of public information. If CPS was able to defend themselves in the public, they would not have to overreact all the time. They don't pull a kid, and the kid dies, guess what, all kids get removed. After public lashing for not doing their jobs, they get punished for doing it overboard.

I see with the budget cuts also that investigations have not happen unless there is iminent danger to the child at that moment. Alot of horrible abuse is found on low priority investigations. This not happening is a little scary.

OP, I think you handeled everything great. I would echo all setiments that you just recently bought guns, and need to evaluate people in your life that can take this right away from you. I only have a few people I'd consider friends, that I have known most of my life since grade school. Other than that, my wife is my best friend, and my dog is good company.

 

[Smithiac]

great job handling that situation

and great job teaching the kids

 

[stonecutter2]

Great job handling the situation, it's best to not be pushy with CPS, because they really do just have the children's best interests in mind. Obviously from all of the interactions, she saw zero red flags.

You should be proud of how the kids answered the questions

My sister had a vindictive neighbor also "anonymously" call CPS against her, because they were bickering over lawn care and garbage removal (the condition of the house next door was pretty bad, and my sister called the landlord to ask that something be done). The CPS did the same drill as you guys, and gave them an all clear - and they were told subsequent complaints would result in action against the complainer for false reports. I imagine the same will be true for you.

These kind of situations are never easy, and like you said, it's totally shameful of someone to waste an agency like CPS's time. There are real children with real problems and they need help - CPS doesn't need their time wasted.

I would say in the months ahead keep all of your guns in the safe, secured, and consider not carrying in your home...just to be extra diligent about the children's "safety." I know this will ruffle some feathers here, but if CPS gets a ton more complaints, and needs to determine what the heck is going on, if they show up with a warrant and come in, and you're cleaning your guns on the table for an upcoming outing and/or carrying a firearm, things could get way too intense too fast.

Keep as calm of a mind as you can, have NO contact with these supposed ex-friends, including their friendly significant others who want gun advice, and move on with your lives.

Again, great job all around, and keep taking the high road

 

[Old Fuff]

Yo Mama:

I also have had some experience with the Arizona CPS. I believe that it may be unique in that the AZ. Supreme Court maintains a telephone hotline so that parents who have gotten crosswise with that agency can get free legal advise.

In assisting parents, I discovered that they have cost the State and its taxpayers literally millions of dollars in court-awarded judgments won by parents, and others who suffered because of they're high-handed and unjustified actions. Some of those 100 suits you mentioned are going to cost us even more.

In my view the CPS has a serious problem with supervision and oversight. Too many caseworkers make decisions based on their own prejudices, rather then facts or evidence. They need to be kept on a short leash. The damage they have done to innocent families is outrageous.

 

[Officers'Wife]

Hi Old Guy,

To protect the children is the bottom line. Good luck with your family.

If you truly believe any government agency has a consideration above politics and budget I have some land on the Monon Creeek basin I would like to sell you. Act now and I'll even throw in the water rights free of charge.

 

[Yo Mama]

Too many caseworkers make decisions based on their own prejudices, rather then facts or evidence. They need to be kept on a short leash. The damage they have done to innocent families is outrageous.

Same for every field. You have good ones and bad ones. Yes there are some that need to be thrown out, but others really are fantastic people and their families are lucky they got them.

If you truly believe any government agency has a consideration above politics and budget I have some land on the Monon Creeek basin I would like to sell you.

I know of workers who are working on their furlough days where they are not getting paid, in order to take care of the families on their caseloads.



Please don't get me wrong, I work with CPS and I see alot of the problems with the agency. It's a big Governmental agency with not a compasionate bone in it's body.
With relations to firearms, I have concern that CPS lists firearms in the home as an unsafe condition and I have had to "educate" workers in this area to find out how exactly it has been unsafe. Believe me, there are genuine safety concerns with firearms that I have seen.
They have been usually 2 ways, the first is the parent shoots the kid. The other is that the kid gets the gun and fires it, usually in the house where the neighbors call it in.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

This quit being about guns long ago. Discussing your dislikes of CPS really isn't on topic.