Texas Sheriff Tells Citizens Not To Rely On Law Enforcement For Their Safety

[Officers'Wife]

The story is told of how one of our neighbors saw a man sulking around his barnlot in the wee hours of the morning. He called my uncle then 911. When the deputy got there the guy was being held at rifle point by my uncle and my Dad. The guy's car was backed into one of the sheds with the trunk full of stolen tools.

The deputy is said to have berated the man for calling the neighbors and informed him that "vigilante" justice was "dead in his county." Supposedly the old man answered that my uncle was there in five minutes, my Dad in ten and the deputy in two hours.

It's also said my uncle was wearing a wide brim hat, a Marlin 45-70 rifle and a pair of BVDs and stated in a pinch he would have left the BVDs. But that's a story for another time.

 

[Cee Zee]

I see your location is "too close to Chicago". Was that the case when the barn lot incident happened? Just curious because that sounds like the attitude of big city LEO's.

 

[TomJ]

I worked as a LEO in a suburb bordering Chicago. It was smaller geographically, being about 2 square miles and we were well staffed. I don't remember a call going out where a car was not immediately available to respond. In spite of us covering a small area with plenty of officers, it was still rare for us to get to the scene of a crime in time to either apprehend the suspect or if they were still there, in time to prevent them from inflicting harm on their victim. So no, I do not count on the police showing up in time to protect me or my family.

 

[Officers'Wife]

I see your location is "too close to Chicago". Was that the case when the barn lot incident happened? Just curious because that sounds like the attitude of big city LEO's.

Jasper county Indiana. I'm not sure what the deputy's story was so I can't really comment on it.

 

[200Apples]

Officers'Wife

The deputy is said to have berated the man for calling the neighbors and informed him that "vigilante" justice was "dead in his county."

My default mode is to like cops and respect their job. Cops are people, too. I was raised that way, and in spite of it all, it has stuck.

Having said that, however, the deputy in the above quote sounds like a power-drunk, egotistical punk (regardless of his chronological age) ...and after two hours' response time? I'm speechless.

And lest these comments derail the thread, I'll get back on topic and say that I'm all for being at the ready as per my constitutional right to bear arms. Kudos to men like Sheriff M.L. Ray and Sheriff David Clarke!

 

[TomJ]

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but for anyone who relies on the police to protect them, I'd ask them to watch this video and tell me exactly how the police were going to appear in time to protect this pharmacist and his employees. Thankfully, all the right people were unharmed.

http://video.foxnews.com/v/40759650...ts-robber-from-behind-counter/?#sp=show-clips

 

[Apachedriver]

He called my uncle then 911. When the deputy got there the guy was being held at rifle point by my uncle and my Dad. The guy's car was backed into one of the sheds with the trunk full of stolen tools.
The deputy is said to have berated the man for calling the neighbors and informed him that "vigilante" justice was "dead in his county.

To paraphrase a buddy from Kentucky, with vigilante justice, you call 911 for the ambulance or M.E., not the police.

Having said that, however, the deputy in the above quote sounds like a power-drunk, egotistical punk (regardless of his chronological age) ...

I absolutely agree with the above comment. I've met a rare few who are embodied in that comment. Oddly enough, they were all in that bastion of freedom known as NYC.

My hat's off to police that support their communities and the CLEOs that lead by example.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Seems to me that, what with vigilante activities being illegal and all, if the deputy was making claims of such then there should have been an arrest over it. If he's not going to make an arrest over it, he should shut his trap. Otherwise it amounts to baseless accusations which can harm the character of the individuals being accused. Slander, in other words.

 

[george burns]

The sheriff's deputy, told us a very similar thing at an HOA meeting a few years back. Said we no longer have the men or budget necessary to patrol in your property, so you should set up your own patrols and have a gun in the house for emergency's.
Some folks almost fell out of their chairs, especially snow birds from northern states who really don't care for guns much.
But we still don't have any patrols because out of 350 homes, no one except a few of us would volunteer to patrol. And they were too cheap to spring for cameras, also "no weapons of any kind on patrol.
Which kills the idea for me, because if they just told me they can't respond, then what do I do when I walk up on a burglar, or a few muggers, no one is coming?
Better off securing your own house and having the ability to use appropriate force if you have no alternative, or at least have video for police.

 

[Hardtarget]

The post from George Burns rang true for me. I went to a"Neighborhood Watch"kick off meeting. One of the first thing said was..."not allowed to carry a weapon". So I got up to leave and was asked why. I told them I was going home to protect my home and family. They could ride around all they wanted but I would confront a criminal on my own property and have a pistol in my hand.
Why ride around unarmed looking for bad guys? Stay home and protect my own. they don't even do the "watch" anymore.

Mark

 

[Palehorseman]

That's pretty much always the case IMO. I grew up in a place where it would take the LEO at least an hour to show up and that's after we went somewhere to call them because we didn't have a phone where we lived. It was pretty far off the blacktop I guess. The nearest phone was a couple of miles away or so unless you wanted to swim the river.

Little over 40 years ago I worked on off shore oil platform a week on/week off. We had no phones out where we lived down on the Kenai and all emergency communications had to go through the Moose Pass store via CB and they would then make it a three way connection with their phone. But more than once the ad hoc affair saved the day.

 

[GAMEOVER44]

The police chief in Detroit advised all Detroit citizens to arm themselves and the citizens are listening. Home invaders are being killed and victims of home invasions are becoming less and less.

Everyone should own a firearm. ATLEAST one.

 

[BigG]

I think a lot of people don't know that police are not to protect YOU. The ignorance bred by TV and radio advertising have raised up a fine crop of yokels.

AFTER ALL, don't the cars even say TO PROTECT AND SERVE?

 

[RustyShackelford]

Slogans....

My city's PD(approx 900 sworn personnel) has no slogans or messages.
The big sheriff's office vehicles(about 1200 sworn deputies) says: "making a difference".

As for Detroit PD, the pro-gun/pro 2A stance of the police chief is based partly on the lack of $$$ for operations/sworn staff.