This actually happened in my 'Hood"

[Samari Jack]

The following scenario really is not a question to be answered, except maybe to yourselves and what would you do.

There is a large field between me and a neighbor’s house who is about 400 yds away. I was out working in front of my house dropping the sight distance to more like 250 yds. The time of day was late afternoon, the sun below the horizon, twilight type conditions. I heard police sirens and watched then chase a neighbor’s son car down an adjacent road. The 16 year old pulled into their two car garage. The LE jumped out with guns drawn and followed around the corner of the rear facing garage and appeared to go into their garage and house.

Over the years (this was a good 14 to 15 years ago) I’ve wonder how I would have reacted if my son was being chased by unidentified people running toward him with guns drawn. They had to run maybe 60-70 yds up a gradual slope to the house from the front. There would have been more than enough time for someone inside to get armed before LE cam around the corner in back. There was no trees are shrubs except the few at the base of the foundation in front of the house. The cruisers would have been hidden from view by someone coming out the back of the house. The incident ended OK. The house was owned by a veterinarian who doesn’t like guns. His son was going 45 in a 35 and just panicked and ran home.

 

[Zoogster]

But people in uniform acting like cops get the benefit of the doubt and are most likely cops.
Unless they are performing a home invasion (many criminals in the US pretend to be cops, yell that they are cops, and some dress similar to tactical teams) they are most likely cops. I don't think many people are going to shoot at pursuing LEO.
Plain clothes LEO that you think are bad guys chasing a loved one? Maybe, but highly unlikely.


That benefit of the doubt is why the cartels in Mexico like to dress like LEO so much, even creating official looking vehicles complete with uniforms, duty belts, body armor, and the ever present mask. Since masks are even on actual LEO and military (which is used as LEO) to hide their identity to avoid retaliation from the cartels, bad guys can not only dress like police or military but hide their identity and appear legitimate while doing so.
A lot of insurgents in places like Iraq also pose as police, even using uniforms and vehicles painted to look official. Both in coordinated attacks and to conduct kidnappings.
There has been similar attacks and kidnappings targeting enemies of the drug trade in the USA, making national news in Arizona awhile ago (kidnapping capitol.)
However such things are still rare in the USA, especially for regular people not involved in organized crime.

 

[wishin]

I suspect that most THR members would take the prudent approach and use due restraint in such a circumstance. I certainly would. As pointed out, the odds of several police cars and uniformed officers being disguised BG's are pretty slim.

 

[Geckgo]

Did the kid get a spankin?

 

[sohcgt2]

That benefit of the doubt is why the cartels in Mexico like to dress like LEO so much

There has been similar attacks and kidnappings targeting enemies of the drug trade in the USA, making national news in Arizona awhile ago (kidnapping capitol.)

Where is this information coming from? I just recently moved to southern Az. from Atlanta Ga. and the crime rate here is far lower. Violent crime here is nearly non existant with an average of one homicide per week for a community of well over one million people.

FBI statistics released on Monday show murder and non-negligent manslaughter dropped by 22 percent in 2009. Last year, 354 people were victims of murder or manslaughter, compared to 454 people the year earlier.

Forcible rape was down by 3.8 percent, and both robbery and aggravated assault dropped by double digits.

Property crimes dropped by nearly 12 percent, lead by a 32 percent decline in motor vehicle theft.

Only South Dakota saw a larger drop in violent crime than Arizona.

These statewide numbers reflect a population of 6.3 million.
I'm verbal one way or the other on firearm legislation, but, I do believe that because so many Arizonans carry either openly or concealed, criminals prefer to operate a little further to the west.

 

[Zach S]

But people in uniform acting like cops get the benefit of the doubt and are most likely cops.

Yep. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, its a safe assumption that its a duck...

When you're being chased by police with guns drawn, the best thing to do is whatever they tell you too. If the officer told me to sing I'm a little teapot, I'd be a bit confused, but would do so if it got me in cuffs and more importantly, their sidearms in their holsters, sooner.

I'd probably wait for them to knock on my door so I didn't surprise them. Having been in somewhat similar situations as the one the OP describes, I've learned that things go much smoother when the police can get the suspect secured, THEN deal with family members/friends/etc. Trying to do both at the same time can complicate things rather quickly...

Hopefully the kid learned that running from the police is stupid. 45 in a 35. I've got out of worse tickets by being honest and polite.

 

[Sergeant Sabre]

I’ve wonder how I would have reacted if my son was being chased by unidentified people running toward him with guns drawn

"Unidentified people"? Seriously?

I think you have your scenario wrong. What would you do if your son started a chase with the cops? What kind of discipline would you institute? My son is only three years old, but if he ever does something as stupid as run from the cops, I'll be dragging him outside the house by his ear and he had better hope the cops get to him before I start with the physical discipline.

 

[wrs840]

^^^^
What Sarge said.

Running from the cops for 10 over is stupid beyond description.

Fifty bucks says there's more to this story, and the details will prove the old adage: "Lay down with dogs, get up with fleas".


Les

 

[TXiceman]

The kid was stupid. I hope the parents punish him accordingly.

 

[Gouranga]

Man, 10 over and he runs!? Sorry but unless he is mentally deficient, there is a lot more to why he ran. I don't know about everyone else, but I was brought up to look at the police as the good guys. When one was behind me, yeah the heart rate went up but running, never even a thought.

Anyway to go with rest of the OP's scenario. If I saw police officers (assuming uniformed officers), I would personally hand my child to them. Sorry but there is nothing that a gang or cartel or anyone who would pose as officers would want from me or my home. Given the odds of these being random home invaders dressed as cops vs. real cops and the downside to shooting or just drawing on a cop, I would take the assumption they are cops.

Now, a plain clothes officer, with a gun drawn, would most certainly find me drawing on him unless he/she identified themselves. Of course once the officer identifies themselves, there is no option but to follow to the letter, what directions they give you. I would find it very unlikely though that a group of plain clothes officers only, without badges showing, would be chasing anyone like that. Outside of the movies, I would find it unlikely that a single officer would engage in that chase alone anyway. Chasing a suspect like that into a unknown structure seems like a good way for an officer to get themselves killed.

 

[chitoryu12]

You said there were sirens, so I'd assume they had their lights on as well. This would mean that your kid would be driving into your garage and running in, immediately followed by sirens and red and blue lights flashing through the windows.

That's the point I'd look at him and go "Son, what the **** did you just do?"

I'd let the cops arrest him, then wait until he was wrestled into the cop car to ask what happened. From what I've seen, freaking out when an officer is trying to arrest someone running from them and screaming "What's happening? Why are you doing this?" is a great way for a misunderstanding to occur, one that could result in you being forced away from the scene for safety reasons.