Will I have to clear my house?

[DoubleTapDrew]

Hopefully the LEOs on this site or people with personal experience can help with this one.
Ok, the general consensus I've gathered is don't clear your house on your own if you think someone has broken in. Grab your HD weapon of choice and defend the bedroom (I don't have kids or roommates). When you call 911 and the police (hopefully) come, how do they get in?
My front door is always locked at night and it's at the other end of the house, so if I need to let them in I basically need to clear the house myself to get to the door. Do they walk around the house ahead of time and look for a point of entry (this would involve hopping a not-so-easy-to-get-over fence)? If there isn't a sign of forced entry, would they then come to the door?
Just wondering.

 

[SigfanUSAF]

I do have kids. Priority one, and all sprawled out throughout our two story homestead. I would have no choice but to clear the house, as I would have to pass through most areas to get to my 3 children. Heaven help whoever I met while getting to them.

And yes, when I'm home alone, I practice. Then I inform my wife, and we practice an emergency action plan. I get the kids, she calls 911.

 

[TheFederalistWeasel]

If it means protecting life, clear the house.

If it's just property, wait on us to arrive, stay put an in communications with 911/dispatch and let us do it.

 

[1911Ron]

The NRA in their personel protection in the home book, say to put a door key on something like they use at gas stations. They also say to paint it like bright orange for visability. They also want you to stay on the phone with the operator so when the officers arrive, you can toss it out the window for them to retrive.

 

[Low-Sci]

If the room you end up barricading in doesn't have windows, that complicates the problem. If that's the case, I would inform the police to announce themselves, so I know they're coming in, and then go right ahead and hit the door with a breaching hammer or a ram, or whatever.

As long as they get in to help, I don't much mind how they do it.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Thanks for the responses. First, I don't want this to be a "should I clear the house?" thread. I agree if there are others in the house you've got to clear it to secure their safety.
What I'm wondering is how the cops will enter the house to clear it assuming you've already called them, they have arrived, and the BG may still be in the house.
I have a one story, and to get a key from me the cops would have to come over the previously mentioned fence to get it (passing by a sliding glass door). Kind of sucks from a tactical standpoint for cops to enter. I wouldn't want to put them in a dangerous situation (motion detector lights by said sliding glass door).

EDIT: LOW SCI posted at the same time. That sounds extreme initially but replacing a door and frame would be way cheaper than the legal cost of defending myself if I am forced to confront a BG. I'll keep that in mind.

 

[BIGDADDYLONGSTROKE]

THEFEDERALISTWEASEL

I have often wondered about this myself what is the proper way to defend ones bedroom with HD weapon if the LEOS are on there way I know you can stay online with the 911 opp. But if there are criminals in the house and lets say they know the cops are on the way wouldnt they try to impersonate one by telling you they are leos to get you to open the door. I may be being paranoid here but the last thing I would ever want to do is shoot a police officer that is coming to my aid not just because I dont want to go to jail but because I dont want to do that. Any how what is the proper way of finding out who is on the other side of the door. Like I said I may just be being paranoid here but any knowledge would still be appreciated.

 

[highdesert]

Any how what is the proper way of finding out who is on the other side of the door.

That's one advantage of staying on the line with the 911 dispatcher. Otherwise, it's a judgement call who is reallycoming thru the door. If you see red/blue lights outside that might help you know the cavalry has arrived

 

[Fred Fuller]

Drew,

The NRA course/handbook mentioned previously is a good resource, so is Louis Awerbuck's video _Safe At Home_, available from Paladin Press and other sources. What Awerbuck recommends is putting a set of house keys on a keyring with a chemical light stick. When LEOs arrive on scene, break the lightstick and toss it out a window, informing dispatch via phone of the location they can find keys to the doors. No matter how dark it is the keys will be easily found with a glowing lightstick attached.

Given your window seems hard to get to, you could hide a key in an out of the way spot. It could be buried in a plastic pill bottle near a landmark that could be pointed out via phone, for example. It needs to NOT be an obvious hiding place, because it might get looked for by someone who wanted into your house and assumes most homeowners hide a key somewhere, like under a rock in the flowerbed , on top of the door sill or under the mat.

And there are several ways of determining via the dispatcher who is on the other side of your door- ask for call sign/number, badge number etc.

lpl/nc

 

[BIGDADDYLONGSTROKE]

highdesert

As far as for the red and blue lights outside, Im not sure about were I live now, but were I grew up it was not common practice for the LEO's to have there lights on when responding to a burlary call or intruder call, I dont know why they just didnt. I can speak from expereince on that when my house got broken into my mother and I were home ( I was 7) and the officers did not have red and blues on when they arrived.

 

[DontBurnMyFlag]

As an LEO I feel that in this situation I must clear the entire house if its my parents. I have an 88 year old grandmother in the house along with my parents. I would have to protect them. If it were my apartment...well thats just a narrow shooting gallery for the poor SOB that breaks into that . I am trained in room clearing and other tactics. I have practiced on my house countless times and I am aware of all blind points, ambush spots, hiding places and other entry points. It also helps that in each hallway there is a mirror I can use to see around the corners. While this can work both ways...whatever.

If you are alone, I dont recommend clearing the entire house. Id hold up in a room and wait for assistance. If you are unclear if the person on the other side is a cop or the perp pretending to be a cop, there are numerous things you can do. Such as ask for a badge # name and rank and confirm it with a 911 dispatcher, if you have access to the phone. Or if you have access to a window, of course check for a marked patrol car/lights.

 

[knoxx45]

If you are worried about the LEO's getting in...

I keep a house key tied to a glow stick in my nightstand. If the situation ever presents its self, just crack the glow stick and throw it out the window. Make sure to tell the 911 dispatch your plan so that they can tell the police.

 

[TallPine]

where I live, I doubt that I could even get the county sheriff deputy to drive out here unless I had already shot an invader

 

[glummer]

One thing that has worried me about the "clear_the_house/call_911" decision is the likely lack of data in the real world. In MY house, I think that the most likely scenario, by far, will be one in which I don't KNOW if anyone is there or not.

Strange noise in the night wakes me up; then, nothing, or unidentifiable something which could be a cat on the back deck, or a burglar working on the door lock.

I can't call 911 for every odd noise. So clearing the house seems almost required.
But, it's also the most dangerous, if there is someone out there.
Unless the BG's are really clumsy, I'm unlikely to know that the cavalry is needed, until it's too late.

 

[ball3006]

If the cops have to breach your door.....

then, how did the perp get into the house in the first place? I would clear my house myself as I have the training to do so.......chris3

 

[vynx]

At most hardware stores Home Depot, Lowes etc. you can by small locking boxes to store house keys in. Some screw to the wall, porch post, whatever some have a circular handle that can be locked around a doorknob or fence railing. Real Estate agents use the latter type when they show for sale houses.

I have the screw mounted type on the front porch posts - it has a push button combination lock on the front.

If you have this type you can give the 911 operator the combination and she can relay that to the responding officer. Also, you have a set of keys outside in case you get locked out. I think they cost less than $20.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I can't call 911 for every odd noise. So clearing the house seems almost required.
But, it's also the most dangerous, if there is someone out there.
Unless the BG's are really clumsy, I'm unlikely to know that the cavalry is needed, until it's too late.

For random bumps in the night I do this too. I'm talking about something more obvious like a window breaking or footsteps in the house where you know someone is there. Hopefully I'll never have deal with it but I'd rather be prepared just in case.

At most hardware stores Home Depot, Lowes etc. you can by small locking boxes to store house keys in. Some screw to the wall, porch post, whatever some have a circular handle that can be locked around a doorknob or fence railing. Real Estate agents use the latter type when they show for sale houses.

Thanks Vynx, that's a good idea. I didn't know they had push button ones. When I was looking at houses my real estate agent used an electronic one where he put a pager thing in it that recorded who was entereing and when before it released the key.

 

[carpettbaggerr]

Problem is the crooks can figure out the lockbox has your keys in it, and the lockbox is much easier to force open than your front door.

The ones I've seen could be easily popped with a screwdriver. If you use one, you should have it hidden.

 

[george29]

A few things to take into account:

1) You are woken from sleep, probably in P.J's and barefoot...BG is wide awake and maybe on "Uppers", adreniline surging, sensory perception on max, and he is dressed and his feet are shod.

2) He hears you coming, waits in ambush with the brass candlestick. You are the one walking making noise, he could be anywhere and is silent.

3) You are walking either from a lit hall or bedroom or are carrying your surefire, he is in the dark in a shadow.

4) You are alone, he is not. (BG isn't Robert Wagner and this isn't "it takes a thief).

5) You are sane....he is (take your pick, mix and match as you see fit): Psychotic, off his meds, zonked on LSD, just snorted big bowl of ice, Schitzophrenic, in a murderous rage, hears voices, .......etc

6) You yell "freeze", he instinctively swings around (from fright?) you shoot:- your sons/daughters friend who is sleeping over w/o permission and wanted a drink, your own image you see in the mirror (it has happened), your wife who couldn't sleep and was digging in the fridge, the plainclothes undercover cop dressed like a druggie because he was on his way to make a score but was the closest officer to respond to your wives desperate 911 "intruder on premises call" (you just killed a cop).

7) You yell freeze but don't hear his partner challenge you, "Man with Gun" he yells, as YOU instictively turn, YOU are shot. Real perp is long gone, luckily, you have so many good friends that are willing to take off time to personally comfort your grieving widow (betcha she looks real nice in black).

Ever see the movie "Hamburger Hill"? It usually takes no less than triple the advancing force to dislodge the defending force (some say 7 times the number). Ever hear of "D-Day"? It is estimated that 10,000 Allied troops died on the beaches, as opposed to between 4,000 - 9,000 Germans.

You obviously can't call the cops everytime the cat knocks something over, but if you are that jumpy (and maybe you're not), do things that will quiet your mind. Turn your day-house into a night fortress. PM me if you think I can be of service (this was my trade for a few years after a decade as a LEO).

If you are CERTAIN someone UNAUTHORIZED is in your home, herd the family in the "safe-room", (you should have one by now), barricade it, hunker down, you should have your sights on the door at ready, wife should be on the CELL phone speaking with 911 and NOT hanging up. Let her do the talking, explain that the family is in the safe room and the intruder(s) are roaming the house, that you are armed and that officers should not attempt to come through your door (more than one intruder/homeinvader has used the ruse "Police officer, open up"). I hope you will have more than a 9mm in your safe room, any .410/20/12 guage is your artillery (many laugh at a .410, there is no difference in power between a .410 and a 12 guage, and inside a house, I would venture they are extremely similar as the ranges are so short).

If you live alone (as I do), then the problem is less complex, you KNOW who is in your home and if they AUTHORIZED to be there. I have never been accussed of being a sissy, but I have a trunkload of fears that I carry with me from seeing what spews from the gutters after dark. I am touched for life, but don't get me wrong, I am not paranoid, what I fear DOES exist, and I have successfully confronted it time and time again. It took me ages to learn how to remove myself from the LEO mentality, but the best I have managed is to not stick my nose in other peoples business, but I never refused someone help. My point (I get off on a tangent too often), at night, my house is barricaded from within, entry points are hardened by effective yet inexpenssive and portable solutions by night, not seen by day. My windows are all locked (no bars though I would like to get some on the rear). A portable S&W motion sensor that covers all entry points but will not go off from the two dogs. (I hate the alarm and used it once, I let the dogs sleep with me and I know they will wake me...I already know they will not attack, but I know they will growl).
Curtains are drawn, shades down, no one needs to know where I am. Every room...............forget it, I am ranting again.

If you know BG is visiting, make him be the moving target, for all you know, he doesn't give a fig for the gold plated trophies, he may be after your scalp!

 

[ilbob]

I can't call 911 for every odd noise. So clearing the house seems almost required.
But, it's also the most dangerous, if there is someone out there.

send in the dog first.

 

[SolaScriptura139]

If the cops have to breach your door.....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

then, how did the perp get into the house in the first place?

Through a window

 

[WYO]

If the police have access to the entire perimeter, they are going to check for entry points before attempting an entry, so the decision tree may fork if they don't find anything after checking the perimeter.

explain that the family is in the safe room and the intruder(s) are roaming the house, that you are armed and that officers should not attempt to come through your door (more than one intruder/homeinvader has used the ruse "Police officer, open up").

The problem I see with this is that the relayed information about the location of the safe room could get garbled in transmission, so the officers doing the search may not have the right room. If you are planning to reserve the right to shoot whatever comes through your door while officers are in the house doing the search, I doubt anyone is going to search it. At some point you are going to have to be prepared to turn the search over to the police, and this should be negotiated through the complaint operator/dispatcher. Or, be prepared to search it yourself.